Love and Survival
by shad3dgrey
Summary: Love and Survival is a story where Beth never gets taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. Instead, she and Daryl leave the funeral home together. When they eventually learn about each other's feelings, Beth will have to try her hardest to break down the walls that Daryl has so carelessly built over the years. Some suspenseful moments that include blood, gore, love and hope.
1. On the Road Again

**A/N:** Hello all! This is my attempt at writing a Bethyl fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy it! Please feel free to review, whether it's to tell me what you liked or/and what you didn't, as I approve of constructive criticism! I warn you now though that future chapters will contain a couple scenes from the actual show (with a few minor changes now that Beth is involved) as I try to reach my own plot. This is only because I feel I cannot change such a great, already existing masterpiece. So I apologize in advance!

CHAPTER ONE

Beth waited on the road just as Daryl instructed.

She could still hear the dreadful moans of the walkers nearby, and with every moan arose more worry for her companion. Seconds felt like minutes as she heard a loud commotion inside the building that they had just lived in for the past two days. It was a clashing sound. Something had fallen and she knew Daryl was struggling. Beth wanted to go back in and help, in fact she already planned to if he took too much longer to escape. She knew he would give her shit for it later, but she didn't care. She felt useless standing in the middle of the road like an idiot.

Another few seconds past so Beth took a stride to head back, but before she could go any further she spotted Daryl sprinting quickly through the trees as a few walkers followed close behind. Beth sighed with relief as he headed straight in her direction, but never stopped when he reached her. Daryl grabbed Beth's arm firmly, spinning her around as he led her past the road and into the woods. A few branches lashed at her face until she finally stumbled on something hard. Beth landed on her hands and knees which were instantly covered in dirt. She didn't know what it was that she tripped on. It could have been a log or a rock, but she didn't have time to think about it as Daryl yanked her up like a rag doll and continued to pull her back into a run.

They ran for at least two miles until Daryl finally decided it was safe to take a break. Beth leaned her forehead on Daryl's chest as he held her arms. The rhythm of his heart drummed rapidly and she could feel hers beating at the same speed. It was a relief for both of them that they made it out safely.

"I was startin' to worry for you," Beth's words escaped her lips with difficulty, still trying to catch her breath.

Daryl grunted but replied softly against her hair as he squeezed her arms tighter. "Last man standin', remember?"

Beth smiled only slightly as she remembered their conversation back at the house with the Moonshine. She knew that he didn't actually believe it but probably said it anyways to make her feel better. She felt the vibrations in his chest as he spoke, and it comforted her more than she anticipated. She pulled away from him to catch his eyes and he stared right back. They were lazy and tired, but he still managed to regard her with sympathy. However, it didn't take long before he averted them, letting go of her as he turned to scan the area as best he could in the dark.

"D'you have any rope in that bag?" Daryl spoke out as he shook the trunk of a tree.

"Yeah," Beth replied as she took the strap off her back exhaustingly, "Are we stayin' here for the night?"

Daryl shrugged as he looked at her, wishing they were back at the kitchen table eating peanut butter, pickled herring and pig's feet. "I guess. There ain't anywhere else to go. Sure as hell can't see worth shit in the dark."

Beth could tell he was angry, and she didn't blame him. So was she, but there was nothing they could do about it. This was where they were now, so they had to make the best of it. She pulled out several ropes, untangling them from each other as she did. Beth loosened a few knots, but one of them was giving her a hard time, and it wasn't long before she began to get frustrated. She used as much strength as she could but it wouldn't untie.

Daryl watched her with interest as she muttered useless words at the rope, figuring she was taking all of her anger out on it. He knew with perfect clarity why she was upset. Whenever they found anything good, it never seemed to last. They were growing tired of always being on the move, and just as they thought they found another sanctuary, it was so quickly taken away from them once again.

Then, Daryl heard Beth begin to sob and he couldn't take it any longer. He walked up to her and took out his open hand. "Here, I'll do it."

Beth sniffled as she passed the rope to him, watching as he fiddled with the knot until it finally loosened. Without a word, he left her side as he began to fasten it around a tree, and then tied the other end on another trunk soon after. Beth finally regained her bearing and did the same, but a lot slower than her counterpart. They didn't have cans or anything that could clang loudly if a walker came at them against the rope while they slept, but it would have to do. Even a rope would be a hard obstacle for walkers to get past.

"I'm gonna get some sleep," Beth spoke out of the silence, pulling out a blanket from the bag and laid it as flat as she could on the ground. She looked at Daryl, waiting for an answer as he nodded at her.

"Alright. I'll stay up for a while and make sure we weren't followed," Daryl replied as he kneeled down and leaned his back against a trunk and pulled out his crossbow, setting it on his lap.

"Okay," she held contact with him for only a moment before she lied down on the blanket and closed her eyes, "Goodnight."

Daryl remained silent for several minutes, watching the stillness of Beth's figure in the moonlight as the yellow t-shirt she was wearing made it easier for him to see her. "Sleep well," he finally said quietly; hoping not to wake her in case she had already fallen asleep.

"You too," Beth responded groggily after a couple seconds, but didn't move to look at him. However, she smiled privately to herself, feeling much better with just those two words said to her.

...

Beth awoke slowly from a perfect dream about her family back at the prison. Her father was still alive, and they were all laughing contentedly about something that was humorous, but she didn't remember what it could have been. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and another moment to notice that she was alone.

Beth sat up quickly, feeling her head spin as the blood rushed to her brain. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment as she placed her wrist against her forehead, attempting to wake up properly. When she opened her eyes again, she knew that the weariness of her sleep did not fool her. Beth really was alone, and she began to panic not knowing where Daryl was. She stood up on her feet, scanning the woods around her as best she could, but it only disappointed her more when she didn't see him.

"Daryl?" Beth called out in a whisper, wondering if he was perhaps nearby and she just didn't catch him. There was no answer, so she yelled sharply this time. "Daryl!"

Still there was no reply, except for a sudden twig breaking in the distance. Beth quickly unsheathed her knife and shakily held it out in front of her, realizing it was a brass move to be yelling which would undoubtedly attract walkers. Before she could start kicking at herself for being so irresponsible, a figure moved out from behind some trees. Despite it still not being very bright out, she knew it was Daryl even from a distance, and she drew a heavy sigh of relief.

When he finally caught up to her, she noticed a dead rabbit dangling by the ears between Daryl's fingers. "What're you doin' calling out like that? You're just askin' to be walker bait," he inquired with annoyance as he ducked underneath the rope.

"I'm sorry; I know that was stupid of me. I just didn't know where you were," Beth replied honestly, feeling a little ashamed. She looked at all the empty spaces around him before she finally regarded the uneasy expression on his face.

Daryl bit the inside of his cheek as he stared calmly into her soft blue eyes, and then casually looked away. "I figured I'd be back before you woke up. I didn't mean to frighten ya."

Beth shook her head. "It's fine. I see you have breakfast," she pointed at the rabbit, attempting to change the subject.

Daryl lifted his arm and looked at the animal in his hand. "Yeah, it ain't much but its somthin'."

Beth smiled fondly at him, "You did good."

He inspected her carefully then, and his expressions softened as he shrugged. "Let's get a fire started. Do you still have that mirror and glass shard from the car?"

"Yeah, it's in my bag," Beth answered as she rushed to her backpack and pulled them out.

As she prepared the campfire like she did many times before, Daryl dressed the rabbit with his own knife on top of a large rock just a few feet away. After digging out a pit, Beth placed some logs inside and then began scavenging for a couple of fallen branches that would have a fork on the tip of them. She didn't stray too far from their camp, but it took her some time before she could find what she was looking for.

When she got back, Beth planted a branch through the dirt on both sides of the fire pit, then grabbed one more stick and sharpened each end to make a brochette. Afterwards, she began making the fire with the glass and the mirror. When Beth was done her job, Daryl had also finished cleaning his catch, so he took the skewer and pierced it through the rabbit.

As their breakfast was cooking, the two remained quiet for a short period, but Beth wanted to say something as the silence was beginning to irritate her.

"I had a dream about the prison," she spoke abruptly, but hesitated when Daryl caught her eye. They were mixed with wonder and concern, but mostly just filled with sadness. She decided to continue. "It was a good dream… one you wouldn't want to wake up from, ya know?"

Daryl twitched his lips as he stared back at the crackling fire, followed by a heavy sigh. "I hate dreams. They annoy you, fill you with fear or show you things that you want but can never have."

"Yeah…I guess there is never a happy medium," Beth breathed in deeply, clutching her legs closer to her chest. She was hoping for a more positive response, but it seemed as though Daryl had completely given up the idea of ever finding their family and making things the way they used to be.

Silence once again. Normally it didn't bother her like it used to, but for some reason she needed the company of a conversation this morning. Perhaps it was all because of the dream she had, and it was still subconsciously affecting her. However, in the calmness of relaxing by the fire, she was finally able to think about last night. Beth had almost forgotten all about it until now. The way Daryl had opened up to her, admitting that she was the one who helped him believe that there was still good people out there. It wasn't necessarily what he said, but the way he said it. His demeanor had changed into something she had never seen before; almost innocent and vulnerable, and the way he looked at her was completely different. She could see the walls that were built around him crumble right before her eyes. In that moment they shared something, but Beth wondered if it was only because of the candlelight that made it seem more romantic than it was.

"It's ready," Daryl spoke out, pulling Beth away from her trance.

She snapped her head up and watched him carefully. Without thinking about it, she decided to get his attention. "Daryl?"

"Mhm?" He replied under his breath, still focusing on his task with taking the cooked rabbit off of the fire.

Beth felt silly then, as it didn't really seem like the right time to bring up the topic about what had happened the night before. "Nothin'."

With the skewer in hand, Daryl sat down beside Beth, asking her to hold the other end. She did as was told, and they began pulling the tender meat off with their free hands.

"It's good," Beth declared after she took her first bite.

Daryl scoffed at the situation, "Probably would be better with some spices."

Beth chuckled quietly as she knew he hated compliments, and decided to tease him. The reminder of last night, and the meaningful moments at the Moonshine house, gave her the confidence to do it. "Whatever you say, Mr. Dixon."

Daryl grunted and nudged her ribcage gently with his elbow as she took another bite. "Don't call me that. It sounds too formal."

Beth smirked, "Sorry Mr. Dixon, it won't happen again."

This time, Daryl glared at her in the corner of his left eye as she began to chuckle. He put his attention back on the rabbit and grabbed another piece of meat, popping it into his mouth. He quickly sucked the juices off the tip of his thumb and index finger, and then pulled it away for another piece. "You're pushin' it."

She smiled as she noticed a smirk appear lightly on the corner of his lips. "I know, but it's fun."

Daryl shot a questioning look at her as he sounded surprised and slightly amused, "Fun? You have an odd sense of fun."

Beth shrugged and cocked her head slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed, so she quickly covered it up with a good answer. "It's not like we have anythin' else to keep us entertained."

Daryl made a rumbling sound in his throat as he kept eating, but didn't respond. He was just like an old stick in the mud, and she didn't bother to continue if he wasn't in the mood. Beth huffed, annoyed by the lack of a retort. She figured he agreed with her but didn't want to admit it, or perhaps he took what she said differently then what she had meant. Either way, they had gone back to silence and Beth sighed, admitting defeat.

...

They spent a couple more hours at their camp until they packed everything up, deciding to move on to somewhere else. They needed more supplies, as they had abandoned most of it when they were rushed out of the funeral home. Beth felt really bad about leaving it in such a state, as the people who were there before them would come back to walkers that had now claimed the building. Even if they did clear it all out, the others would find that their stash was partly eaten without the thank-you note that Beth wanted to leave there in the first place. She brought it up to Daryl and he could only shrug it off. There was nothing they could do about it now.

When they finally reached a road, they decided to stay on it for a while in hopes of finding any kind of convenience stores along the way. They passed a few walkers, killing them with ease while ignoring the others as they were too far away to even pose a threat.

"Over there!" Beth exclaimed with her arm stretched out pointing, noticing a gas station in the distance and what looked to be a hunting shop sitting beside it. The faded words on the sign read _Duck and Buck Outfitters_.

"Looks like we're in luck," Daryl responded as he took out his crossbow, eyeing the male walker trudging around the front of the building. When they got closer, he turned to Beth and looked at her brazenly. "Here, you do it…Miss _Greene_."

Beth widened her eyes as he cockily passed his weapon to her, and she held it clumsily in her hands. She wasn't expecting a sudden lesson from Daryl, and she figured this was his turn to tease her. It took her a moment to hold it straight, and afterwards she jutted out her chin it attempts to show him that it didn't affect her. Beth took out one of the last three remaining bolts from the quiver and placed it into the barrel, trying to remember how to use it as best as she could.

Daryl cleared his throat as he crossed his arms, watching her prepare to shoot. It wasn't long before she lifted the crossbow and aimed pompously at the walker ahead of them. When Beth pulled the trigger, the string released but no bolt flew out as was expected, and Daryl began to snicker.

He leaned over to her when he noticed the scowl on her face, and proceeded to tell her what she did wrong. "That's called a partial dry fire. You didn't push the bolt all the way back against the string."

"You're enjoyin' this, aren't you?" Beth glared as he properly prepared the bolt for her.

"Just shoot," Daryl ignored the question and looked on ahead at her target that was now following in pursuit of the bolt that had bounced off of the concrete behind it. He spoke softer as he nodded in the walker's direction. "Go on."

Beth sighed as she once again lifted the crossbow and aimed. She didn't give herself much time, and when she pulled the trigger, the bolt flew and hit the walker's lower back. It fumbled forward a bit before turning around with a growl, noticing them instantly. It snarled angrily as it began to slowly walk towards them, giving Beth a surge of anxiety.

"Try again," Daryl directed calmly, "Just ignore the walker. Keep steady, and take a deep breath as you aim. Don't let it out until you shoot."

Beth nodded quickly, taking another bolt and placing it into the barrel just as Daryl showed her moments before. She took aim once again, directly at the walker's forehead. She was now able to see the gashes clearly across its face as it drew closer, and his left ear had been completely torn off. Beth breathed in deeply, fixing her posture as she did, and pressed the trigger.

Beth grinned ear to ear when the arrow flew and instantly pierced right between the walker's eyes. It fell lifelessly to the ground. "Wasn't that hard," she said proudly as she spun around to face Daryl.

"Mhmm," he grunted in his throat as the left corner of his mouth curved upwards, "Wait until you're runnin' and tryin' to shoot."

Beth handed Daryl the crossbow, still smiling playfully at him as she knew he was pleased with her shot. She watched as he left her side and grabbed the arrows from the corpse on the ground, and he quickly wiped off the blood and flesh with his bandana.

"That was good," Daryl admitted, giving Beth a side glance through his dark hair as he placed the bolts back in the quiver.

Beth felt her cheeks begin to blush from his compliment. "Well, I have a great teacher."

Daryl chuckled slightly as he swung the crossbow over his shoulder. Turning his back to her, he began walking towards the shop before he replied teasingly, "Yeah, and don't you forget it." As much as he appreciated her approval of his teaching methods, he didn't quite know how to take it, and so instead answered with witticism.

"Why is there even a store like this around here? Seems kinda odd bein' in the middle of nowhere and all," Beth asked as she followed the redneck cautiously towards the door of the shop.

Daryl shrugged as he reached the front window and attempted to clear the glass from the dirt and dust that had settled on it. "Before the turn, this area probably had good game for hunters. It was perfect for anyone needin' more ammo without going back into town."

Beth nodded, satisfied by the answer as she tried to peer inside. "See anything?"

"I don't see any walkers if that's what you mean. Hold on a second…" Daryl lifted his hand and banged on the window a few times, "That outta get their attention."

They waited a minute before deciding to walk in when nothing had happened after the knock, assuming that it was safe to go inside. Most of the place was already looted, which they had both suspected. A lot of what was left was just scattered papers, empty boxes and broken card board stands of fishermen and hunters in disarray. In the far corner of the room laid a corpse that had practically rotted to the bone with dry, dark blood splatters on the wall beside it. All of the displays that had held firearms were broken and bare, and Daryl sighed with disappointment.

Beth journeyed to the other side of the room, deciding to look further in hopes that she could find anything useful. Reaching the counter that sat a smashed up register, her face suddenly lit up into a grin when she spotted a broken display that still held crossbow bolts and arrows inside. It almost seemed surreal, like finding a platter of deliciously hot food in the middle of the woods.

"Daryl, over here!" Beth called to him astoundingly, waving at him to hurry.

He was surprised by her sudden outburst of elation, but when he arrived by her side he understood instantly. His eyes lit up and his mouth dropped open as he shook his head in disbelief. "I'll be damned. People don't like using crossbows or what?" Daryl chuckled at his fortune as he stared down at the marvellous view before him. After searching for more bolts for the last few months, it was an immense surprise to finally find some.

"All of the guns are taken," Beth observed as she took a scan around the room once more, then at Daryl, "So maybe you're right."

"Well, their loss is my gain," Daryl shrugged with a smirk as he reached inside the display and carefully avoided the broken glass inside while picking up the ammo.

He diligently collected the bolts as well as the arrows. He counted eight bolts which he put into his quiver that sat on the crossbow. He was distracted, not realizing that something was lurking behind them. It wasn't until he heard the beginning of Beth's scream before it became a muffle did Daryl spin around with his crossbow out. The mood changed instantly as Beth was squirming in the grasp of a man with a wicked grin on his face. Behind the man, there were several others who had already aimed their barrels at Daryl.

"Claimed!" The man spoke loudly, still grinning cunningly as he gave Daryl a menacing stare.


	2. We Are Fighters

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews and to those that have followed my story thus far! Here is chapter two!

CHAPTER TWO

Daryl held a firm grip on his crossbow, barely unable to tear his eyes away from Beth as she tried to yell beneath the hands of a stranger. His body began to burn with rage as he thought hard on how he could get the two of them out of this situation. He wanted nothing more than to see these men dead, but there were too many guns pointed at him. Daryl could only imagine punching the man's smile off of his face until it was grotesquely unrecognizable.

"Now now Len, we don't claim other human beings," another man with a pointy chin and wavy grey hair walked up beside the man who held Beth.

"I don't care, Joe!" Len yelled, still holding eye contact with Daryl, "What's he gunna do about it anyway?"

Joe, who Daryl presumed to be the leader, chuckled slightly at Len's remark. "I know he ain't gunna do nothin'. All's I'm saying is, when it comes to human beings—we share."

"Son of a bitch!" Daryl shouted, unable to hold himself back any longer as he held up his crossbow and swung it violently at the leader's face.

Just before it met contact, Joe dodged it by leaning back quickly and then knocked it out of his hands before Daryl knew what was going on. "Boys! Teach this man some manners!"

Almost simultaneously, five men raced to Daryl and began taking swings at his face and stomach. He attempted to fight back, dodging some and throwing his fists. He managed to hit one of them, but there was just too many and he became weaker at each blow. When he received a knee to his gut, he finally fell to the floor and the men began kicking his back and abdomen. All Daryl could hear were Beth's sobs and her voice calling out his name. He wanted to yell back and say something to her—anything—but he began to choke on his own blood and he felt powerless to help her. Daryl figured this was it; he was finished, but he heard Joe's voice one last time.

"Enough! Don't kill him," the leader shouted, having a change of heart and half snickered as he said it, "Let him suffer."

Before Daryl could watch them leave, everything around him became hazy, and then it all fell into darkness as his last view was of Beth being pulled out the door.

...

Daryl woke up a here and there, but he didn't dare open his eyes as they were practically swollen shut. He was too drowsy, and fell in and out of consciousness several times. However, he knew someone was there with him. He figured he was dreaming because he swore he heard a baby crying at one point or another. But then, Daryl's mind began racing further and he thought about Beth screaming. He could hear her calling his name. It was only when he began regaining consciousness again that the voice became softer, but the reminder of Beth's cries still antagonized his mind.

Daryl shot his eyes open suddenly. "Beth!" He yelled, attempting to sit up as he did, but someone gently pushed him back down on his back.

"Woah, calm down Daryl, you haven't got all your strength back yet," a familiar female voice spoke to him, patting his shoulder.

Daryl finally fixated on the figure sitting beside him as his vision began to clear, and for a moment he figured he must have been definitely dreaming. Seeing the silver, grey-like hair, he decided to speak, wishing for a possibility that he was wrong. "Carol? You here?"

He could fully see her features now, and she smiled while nodding slowly. "Yes, it's Carol, and I'm here."

Daryl sat up again, still feeling a bit disoriented. He regarded his surroundings, noticing that he was once again in the woods. Looking down at himself, he was shirtless and covered with dressings. Without waiting another moment, he reached for Carol and wrapped her in a tight hug. Suddenly without any control, he felt his eyes burn up and he knew damn well that it wasn't from the cuts and bruises scattered along his brow. Water built up out of his tear ducts from the happiness and relief of once again seeing his friend.

"I've missed you," Carol murmured as a couple tears rolled down her chin and onto his shoulder, "I was scared you wouldn't wake up."

"I have, thanks to you," Daryl replied gratefully as he pulled away and cupped her cheek, wiping away the water trail that the tears left behind with his thumb. Carol smiled coolly as he placed his hand on his lap. "How long have I been out?"

"Mmm, not too long," Carol replied with a shrug as she grabbed a damp cloth and placed it over a wound on his brow, "For about a day."

Daryl shook his head in disbelief as he flinched back from the sting of the cloth. "A day? Beth…some lowlife pieces of shit took her."

Realizing that she was still in danger, he suffered through the pain he felt as he stood up on his feet, and Carol followed as she tried to talk to him. "We know where they are. Tyreese followed them. We just need to find a way to get her out."

Daryl turned and narrowed his eyes at her, still trying to focus from the head rush. "Tyreese is with you?"

"Yes, and Judith," Carol pointed over at a baby carrier with Judith inside, sound asleep.

Daryl could not believe his eyes, and yet there she was. He let out a heavy sigh of relief as his eyes softened at the harmless infant in front of him. "She's bigger than I remember."

Carol smiled slightly at his remark. "Well it's been awhile since you've seen her. Babies grow up quickly."

Daryl nodded, wanting nothing more than to pick up the lil' ass kicker, but there was more pressing matters to deal with. He had a lot of questions to ask Carol as well, but now was not the time. He pulled his stare away from the baby and looked at Carol with a more serious expression.

"I gotta go save Beth," he spoke with difficultly, feeling sore in practically every part of his body. However, he had the adrenaline and motivation to fight it off, at least for now. "Where's Tyreese?"

Carol began to open her mouth to speak, but a voice to their left answered the question for her. "Right here." They both turned their heads to see Tyreese walking into the camp and had already stretched his hand out towards Daryl for a handshake. When he accepted, Tyreese spoke again. "Glad to see you're awake."

"Yeah, didn't think I'd ever see you all again," Daryl could barely make out a smile. His worry for Beth began to increase with each passing second. "We'll have a proper reunion after we save Beth."

Tyreese mirrored Daryl's expressions, and nodded briefly. "Of course. There are plenty of trees and bushes to cover us from their view. I figure we should have no problem takin' them down when they can't see us. We just have to be quick with good aim. They won't be expecting us, so they'll be sloppy."

Daryl shrugged, "I have no problem with that. Where's my crossbow?"

"We saw them take it from you," Tyreese replied disappointingly.

Daryl gritted his teeth, feeling more pissed off than before. "Fucking bastards."

"Here, take my gun," Carol took the Colt Detective Special out of her waistband and handed it out to him, "There's a few bullets left. But I won't need it since I'll have to stay here and take care of Judith."

Daryl was hesitant for a moment, not sure if it was a good idea for Carol to be left without a gun. "What if a walker showed up?"

"I have my knife. It's okay, you need it more than I do right now," she nodded reassuringly, hoping that he would take it.

Daryl sighed, but gently grabbed it from Carol, "We'll be back soon."

"I know," Carol breathed while barely smiling, her lips twitched with worry, "Just be careful you two, alright?"

Daryl nodded, but didn't say another word as Tyreese turned to leave the camp and he followed quickly behind. They were both anxious to get going, especially Daryl as he felt like he had failed Beth as a protector. He wanted nothing more than to get her back safely with him again. She was too good—too pure. She was everything this world needed—everything that he needed. He just couldn't believe that a group of dickheads could take someone so innocent like her, doing who knows what to her. Daryl had ideas already forming in his head, and his stomach twisted in disgust.

Then he remembered something Beth had said to him at the Moonshine house. _'You're gunna miss me so bad when I'm gone Daryl Dixon.'_ The words drilled deep into his mind like a parasite and it gave him goose bumps. Daryl knew she was right, but that didn't mean he was going to let it happen. He would fight for her survival until he physically couldn't anymore. No matter how much pain Daryl was going through this very moment, he was going to make sure she was safe. He had to.

...

Beth was afraid; she had never been so afraid before in her life. Within the dampness of the trees, there were six men surrounding her, staring at her with dilated pupils like she was their next meal. At this point, Beth would rather take walkers any day. On top of it all, she knew she had to look strong, but inside she was weak. She couldn't stop sobbing, not only because of her predicament, but most of all because of what happened to Daryl. It was so sudden, so horrific. He was pulled from her so instantly and now there was no one. Beth wanted to die, there was nothing else left.

The men had her arms tied around a tree in case she tried to run, and the only thing that kept her unharmed for a day was their leader. She didn't know why, but she figured he was just trying to taunt her before the deed was done. Beth pleaded to them a few times just to kill her, but they only laughed. They had other ideas, she knew this. It was only a matter of time. The heavier one—she never learned his name—seemed to stare at her most with an eerie, disgusting grin. Most of the time, Beth kept her eyelids shut so she couldn't see them.

"I really wish she would stop her cryin'," Len spoke with annoyance, "We should do something about that."

Almost simultaneously, Beth stopped and attempted to hold back the sniffles. Again, she heard a few snickers from her sudden silence. They were toying with her emotions, and they were enjoying it.

"Might be fun," Tony replied with a smirk, "It's getting pretty boring out here."

"Now we ain't doin' anything of the sort, so smarten up," Joe retorted angrily, seeming more irritated at them then they were at Beth.

She could hear them arguing, but she didn't make out any of it. She tried her hardest to drown them out through her own thoughts. Beth could only think about Daryl and the fact that she was useless. She knew that terrible quality would stab her in the back at some point, but it hurt her most because it was at the expense of Daryl's life. Why couldn't she have been more like Michonne? She could have done something, ANYTHING, to help Daryl fight them off. He'd still be with her and she wouldn't be tied to a tree.

Beth stuttered a sigh before she snapped back to reality, feeling ready to cry once again. She opened her eyes quickly and noticed Joe had quieted the group as he continued to clean a rabbit he had caught. A couple other men lied down for a nap, leaving the heavier man to stare at her once again. Beth felt nauseous suddenly as he began to walk towards her.

He came close enough to her that she could smell his rotten breath as he spoke. "Pretty little thing, ain't yeah?" He eyed Beth up and down like she was on display. She tried to look away, but he would instantly grab her jaw and yank it back to face him.

Beth wanted to scream. Whether someone heard her or not it didn't matter; she couldn't take it anymore. A tear fell and rolled down her cheek as she began to move violently away from him but it only made him angrier. Then suddenly, Beth heard a gunshot ring out so unexpectedly that she flinched back against the tree. The man's body in front of her shook for a mere second as he let her go, and then he stiffened, gasping for air until he finally fell to the ground. The two men who laid down for a nap instantly sat up at an alarming rate, which was probably a bad idea on their part as they became the next targets. Two more gunshots bellowed in the crisp air, taking them down in an instant. Beth felt a sudden shrill of panic as the rest of the men were on their feet, and all chaos broke loose.

The attackers were coming from behind the trees so she couldn't make out who they were. Joe and his group picked up their weapons right before ducking for cover, and began shooting blindly into the trees. However, the attackers were too quick for them. Shortly, the man named Tony who was wearing a bandana, took the next bullet in the arm and then in the chest. He staggered back until he dropped lifelessly in the grass. Beth could hear him gurgling and choking on his own blood as Joe was frantically yelling out commands, but it was no use. Len took a bullet straight in the forehead as he attempted to get a shot out. Flying backwards, he died instantaneously.

As all of this was going on, Beth tried her hardest to pull her wrists out of the ropes that tied her hands together in an attempt to get away, but it was impossible. She figured that whoever it was, they were out for the kill, and she would be next. Through her struggle, Beth didn't realize that the only two people still alive in the camp were her and Joe. The place reeked of blood and gunpowder, and she knew that walkers would be on their way.

Lucky for Beth, she spotted a knife that had dropped from the man that once stood before her, so she quickly slipped her foot out of her shoe and sock, desperate to grab it between her toes. When she finally had a grasp of it, she bent her leg back as far as she could behind the tree and into her fingers. The task was pretty easy, as Beth had always been flexible. Then a voice yelled from the trees, and she felt her heart jump into her throat as she instantly recognized who it was.

"Put down your fucking weapon!" Daryl shouted at Joe, who was more than willing to refuse.

The leader laughed and lifted his hands up until they leveled with his shoulders, but he still remained a hold on his gun. "I'm already dead, ain't I? Though I'd like to see the face of my killer," Joe finally dropped his gun, allowing Daryl and Tyreese to move safely out of the trees.

Beth smiled briefly with tear soaked eyes, bewildered by not only Daryl's presence but Tyreese's as well. They were not who she expected to see, but she figured that Tyreese found and helped Daryl after the men grabbed her. The sight of Daryl gave her immense relief, as though everything she had just gone though was only a nightmare and she had finally woken up. She could only smile for so long, as it seemed that Joe had something up his sleeve. There was another gun poking out of his pants against his back. Seeing this, Beth quickly continued to sever away at the braided rope in attempts to get free.

"Ah, I thought your voice sounded familiar," Joe chuckled, seeming unafraid, "The new look suits you. I shoulda killed you when I had the chance."

Daryl didn't flinch as he sustained his hands on the gun, aiming directly at the leader's head. He knew full well that Joe was talking about his swollen eye and the black and yellow bruises that blanketed parts of his face. "Yeah, you should of."

"Didn't think you'd have another friend with you though," Joe continued as he inched his right hand by his side, "Maybe we could find a truce and be friends, huh?"

"No," Daryl's rough voice barely echoed, "I have enough friends."

Beth finally reached the last thread with the knife and she was free. Her arms and wrists were sore, but she didn't hesitate knowing what she had to do. In a matter of seconds, Beth ran forward towards Joe who had no idea she escaped, partially limping because of her missing shoe. Her actions startled Daryl and Tyreese as it accidently pulled their attention away from the man standing several feet away. Joe found this as his chance, so he shrewdly drew out his gun as quick as he could in hopes to shoot down the attackers. However, Beth had already caught up behind him and stuck out the knife, instantly stabbing him in the side of his neck before he could pull the trigger.

Daryl and Tyreese were not quick enough to react, but after they witnessed what Beth did, their mouths dropped open in surprise. Joe, who froze as soon as the knife pierced into his skin, arched his back and fell to his knees in a matter of seconds. Beth was breathing heavily as her body shook with distress, her hand covered in his blood.

"Well…" Joe choked hoarsely as blood gushed out of his mouth, spluttering the word as the pressure of the knife swallowed his will to speak. A small smirk creased his cheek, but he couldn't finish his sentence as his body fell, dying before he even reached the ground. His hand twitched for a couple seconds before he finally stilled as the nerves in his body shut down.

Daryl and Tyreese made no hesitation to finish the job as they instantly began running around the camp, stabbing the brains of the men before they turned into mindless walkers. Beth remained silently motionless, affected by what she did and what could have been if she hadn't. It didn't take long before Daryl stood in front of Joe's dead body as he saved it for last, striking him once before looking back up at Beth. She caught his eye, and she could feel the sting of tears beginning to form.

Daryl stared at Beth's glossy eyes, looking at her as though she were a monument. He was impressed by what she did, but most of all he felt relieved. He was worried of losing her, knowing that things might not have worked out the way they did. Looking at her now, he saw someone completely different; he saw someone who wanted love and kindness in the world but also had the strength to do what she had to in order to survive.

Finally, Daryl spotted the tear roll down her cheek and he instantly felt his stomach leap. "Beth…" he breathed, never knowing his voice could be as soft as it was. The last thing he wanted was for her to get upset, but he understood. He was feeling the same amount of worry and anxiety that she was.

Hearing her name surprisingly roll off his tongue the way it did, Beth irrepressibly bolted towards him and jumped into his arms, squeezing him in a tight hug. He reciprocated instantaneously, wrapping his arms around her small frame as he held her up off of the ground.

"I thought you were dead," Beth whispered in his ear as she held tighter as though she might lose him again; her face was now buried into the crook of his neck.

"Never," Daryl moved his left hand up to her neck and into her hair, rubbing the back of her head with his fingers reassuringly. He didn't know if he was perhaps passing the line of friendship with the intimate hug that was being shared between them, but it honestly didn't matter. He was glad she was safe, and there was something he and Beth had that tied them so closely together.

Daryl took a glance past Beth's shoulder and noticed Tyreese watching them carefully with his eyebrows raised up high with a smile. Seeing this, Daryl quickly ended the hug and cleared his throat, snapping back into reality. "Gunna grab the rest of the things that these bastards took from me," Daryl broke the silence as he stepped away and searched through a few bags in the camp.

"They have some food too, over in that bag," Beth added, speaking weakly as she barely had enough sleep since she was kidnapped. She quickly slipped her sock and shoe back on.

Tyreese agreed and began a thorough search with them, emptying bags and taking whatever they might find useful. Daryl even snagged the rabbit that Joe was cleaning, figuring it would be good for dinner. They took all of the guns and ammo, even Len's bow, and Beth found a few cans of vegetables and fruit.

"Did you hear that?" Tyreese suddenly asked a few minutes later; his expressions were riddled with worry.

Daryl froze to listen, hearing fallen leaves shuffling in the distance. "Walkers?"

"Possibly," Tyreese shrugged as he shook his head, "But I don't want to stay and find out."

"Yup, its walkers," Beth spotted the silhouettes of a few undead shambling unevenly amongst the tree's, and she quickly put her backpack over her shoulder as she prepared to leave.

Daryl and Tyreese scanned the direction she was facing, and Daryl sighed deeply as he spotted the walkers heading their way through the fog. The three of them left the camp hurriedly, making sure they were far enough not to be followed before they slowed down into a walk. However, they figured the warm meals of the bodies at the camp would be a good enough diversion for them to get away, so they didn't run for very long.

Beth watched the two men curiously as they cut corners and retraced their steps, seeming as though they knew where they were headed. "Where are we goin'?"

Tyreese looked over his shoulder, and a side smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth. "I almost forgot you didn't know. We have a camp not too far from here. Carol and Judith are there waitin' for us."

 **I want to apologize if anything was unrealistic in this chapter, specifically on how I dealt with Daryl after having been beaten up and how Tyreese and Carol found him. I wasn't particularly sure on how I should have gone about it, but I did the best I could in the short period of time I had so he could save Beth before anything real traumatizing happened to her. I promise future chapters will be much more realistic when dealing with wounds and fights!**


	3. Friendly Faces

**A/N:** First off, I want to mention how insane Season 7's premiere was! It gave me so many different emotions. Secondly, I am pleased to see more people following my story! I will bring up that as I post more chapters, they will be getting a little longer. To me, this one feels a little short so I just wanted to bring that to your guy's attention.

CHAPTER THREE

"Carol and Judith are with you?!" Beth bounced over in front of Tyreese, electrified by the news, "I can't believe it!"

"Yes, but you have to keep quiet," Tyreese asked her calmly, "Don't want any walkers hearing us."

"Sorry," Beth took a breath but her smile remained as she lowered her voice, "It's just—I never expected it. It will be so nice to see them again."

Daryl smirked slightly over Beth's happiness, but his thoughts were filled with uncertainty. She had no idea that Carol was the one who killed Karen and David, and he wondered if Tyreese even knew. Daryl didn't know how to act around this new Carol, and it made him uncomfortable. He could only wait and see how she and Tyreese would interact, and if he wasn't satisfied, he would have to confront Carol himself about the issue. During their walk back, Daryl could feel the searing pain resurfacing all over his body from his bruises and possibly fractured ribs. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he couldn't wait to get back to camp just so he could rest.

"—and you two wouldn't believe the look on Carol's face when she saw you," Tyreese snapped Daryl out of his thoughts as they began to walk once again.

"I'm sure she was surprised," he replied, not knowing what else to say as he felt indifferent in the conversation.

"…and worried," Tyreese finished.

"Probably the same look I'll get when she sees me," Beth piped up with a chuckle, "And Judith… I can't wait to hold her again."

"Well, we're almost there," Tyreese said as he ducked under some branches of a tree, leading the way cautiously, "Won't have to wait much longer."

"How were you able to find us?" Daryl questioned with utmost curiosity.

"We's been followin' the group for a short while, studyin' them to see what kind of people they were. We also thought about stealing their food in the middle of the night because we were desperately hungry, and Judith needed food," Tyreese explained cheerfully, unable to hide the happiness he was feeling from finding his friends, "Bumping into you was happenstance."

By the time they entered the camp, the sun was beginning to set, giving a golden hue through the fog as it slowly rolled away. Specs of particles and tiny bugs were visible in the light, flying carelessly in the air. Carol had Judith bouncing on her hip as she stood, cooing her softly. The baby had been previously crying and was only just beginning to calm down. When Carol heard footsteps nearby, she spun around, already positioning her free hand on the holster of her belt in case it was trouble.

But luckily, it wasn't a walker or a stranger but rather three familiar faces, and she smiled with relief and elation. "Beth!" She called out as they entered the camp, and with no hesitation, the two entered into a hug.

Beth had her right arm around Carol while her left hand was on Judith's head. She could feel herself beginning to cry, so she quickly wiped the tears away when the hug had ended.

"It's so hard to believe that you're here!" Beth said with excitement, too overcome with joy to speak properly. "It's been a long time."

Carol nodded quickly as she too began to choke up a sob, "I know. I couldn't believe it myself when I saw them take you away and had left Daryl in the shape that he was," as she spoke, she placed Judith in Beth's arms and then turned to the redneck, "I've missed you both so much. I've missed everyone."

Daryl tried to fight back the weakness in his heart, but it was too difficult. Despite what Carol had done, he also still missed her, and for a shear moment he had forgotten about the events from the past. When Carol turned to look at him, he reacted instantly and walked straight up to her, hugging her tightly once again as soon as he reached her. It was a wonderful thing to find people from the prison, especially Carol who he had become such close friends with since Sophia's disappearance.

"If it wasn't for you two coming when you did, Beth and I would have both been goners," Daryl finally pulled away after he spoke, sharing glances between Carol and Tyreese. "Thank you."

Beth smiled warmly, feeling ready to cry again as she nodded while hugging Judith in her arms, afraid to let her go in case of losing her. When she found herself glimpsing at Daryl, for only a moment he caught her stare, and just through the look in his eyes Beth knew he was telling her that everything was going to be okay. She had to believe that. As she kissed Judith on the top of her head, Daryl walked over to her and reached out his arms with a playful smirk now plastered on his face, evident that he wanted a turn to hold lil' asskicker.

...

It was further in the evening when they put Judith to sleep, and the rabbit which had been cooked over the fire had now been eaten. It wasn't necessarily satisfying as they had to share it between the four of them, but it was enough to sustain them until morning. Beth made a point of filling up a basin of water by a creek before dinner, and then boiling it over the fire. Throughout the evening Daryl was curious about her undertakings, but was too tired and sore to bother asking. However, when the cold air of the evening arrived which inevitably chilled the water that was recently boiled; Beth grabbed a rag and drenched it in the bowl. This made Daryl curious again as she sat down beside him by the fire.

"What are you doin'?" He finally asked as he watched her intently.

"You have a cut above your eyebrow and your eye looks pretty ugly—" Beth started, but was quickly interrupted by Daryl's sarcasm.

"Thanks."

Beth breathed, ignoring his comment, "I figured I would try and take the swellin' down."

Daryl shrugged, appreciating it but he knew it wasn't necessary, "You don't need t'do that."

Beth caught his eye and gave him a solemn look, "I know, but I want to."

There was a silence between them as Daryl didn't know what else to say. He wasn't surprised by Beth's act of kindness because that's just who she was. So instead of declining the help, he accepted it with a quick nod, and the smile that suddenly appeared on her face warmed him up in a way he couldn't quite understand. Daryl was pleased to see that he made her smile, even if it was something as simple as letting her help mend the array of cuts and bruises that covered his face. Allowing her to forget the dangers that lurked outside their camp was worth the attention she was giving him, despite the fact that it made him slightly uncomfortable.

Beth felt victorious as she knew he didn't normally let people tend to his wounds, not if they weren't entirely serious. She admitted to herself that she did have a plan up her sleeve. She wanted to find an excuse to get closer to him, but the reasons behind it were unclear. As she gently patted his bruises with the cold water, he made a point to avoid eye contact which only made her smile longer. But as time went on and Daryl became more comfortable and relaxed behind the soft patting of the cloth, his eyes inadvertently lifted up slowly, tracing her jaw line up to her lips, nose and then to her eyes.

"What?" Beth breathed with a slight chuckle.

He shrugged again as he pulled away from their eye contact, looking back down at his hands. "Nothin'."

"It sure looked like a somethin'," Beth chuckled again.

"I was just thinkin' how I could teach you to use that bow we picked up," Daryl lied in order to change the subject, pointing at the weapon leaning against the rest of their supplies. It was apparent that he wanted to hide whatever he was actually thinking about.

Beth shook her head and her features wrinkled with repulsion. "I don't wanna touch anythin' that reminds me of _them_."

Daryl frowned for a moment, realizing that the situation affected her more than he predicted. Sure, he knew that what she experienced was scary and life threatening, but unfortunately they had been dealing with those kinds of experiences since the apocalypse started. "Look Beth, a weapon is an inanimate object, nothin' more. We've taken countless of weapons from our enemies in order to survive, so why is this any different?"

Beth shrugged as she kept her eyes on her hands, then at the red marks around her wrists from the rope that had once tied them together. "I felt very vulnerable. I had never myself experienced something so awful at the hands of another human being."

Daryl grunted. "Join the club."

"That's not funny," Beth shot Daryl an irritated glare before looking back down at her wrists when she didn't get a retort.

The redneck gave another frown, instantly regretting what he said and feeling terrible for being so insensitive. Daryl followed her eyes, noticing how poorly her wrists looked. He instantly grabbed the cloth she had previously used on him, and soaked it in the cold water. Moments later, and to Beth's amazement, he carefully took her hands into his and began dabbing the cloth on her sores. "I'm sorry, Beth. If you don't wanna to use the bow, that's fine. I jus' thought that with me using the crossbow and you the bow, we'd make quite the team."

A smile creased Beth's lips slightly as goosebumps rose upon her skin from his gentle touch. "Well, when you put it that way…" she replied, but her voice wandered as her thoughts traced back to the hunting shop. "I wanted to say sorry for not havin' the strength to fight them off with you. I coulda done somethin', but I just stood there while you were beaten—"

"Beth," Daryl interrupted reassuringly, stopping her before she could continue, "You're bein' too hard on yerself. What could you have done? There was six of em and two of us, and you were trapped in that man's arms. Don't go thinking this is yer fault," he referred to himself and his wounds.

Beth sighed, but silence followed. She wondered if perhaps he was right. Without warning, she slowly twisted her hand around and intertwined her fingers with Daryl's. She half expected him to let go and give her a stern look that said " _what the hell are you doing?_ ", but unpredictably he only tightened his hold.

"Carol and I have been meaning to talk to you both about something," Tyreese began as he walked over to them, watching the two with curiosity and abruptly ending their current conversation.

Daryl regarded the other man, feeling relieved by the disruption but also annoyed at the same time. He tossed the cloth back into the water and casually placed his hand back to his side.

"We've found a sign some ways down the tracks," Carol continued as she cleared her throat, sitting across from them on a log, "A sign that told us there was a sanctuary. It's at a Terminus."

"A sanctuary?" Beth asked with full attention, already feeling elated, "Do you think there are still people there?"

"We don't know for sure, but Carol and I were planning on headin' there to find out," Tyreese replied earnestly.

Daryl's first instinct was to believe it was a dangerous idea, but the thought of Beth's words repeated in his head. _'There are still good people Daryl.'_ At this point he wanted to agree with what she said, despite having just dealt with Joe and his group. Perhaps there was still good people out there, but that didn't mean he couldn't be cautious.

"Alright, Terminus it is," Daryl sighed, kicking the dirt under his feet, knowing that his answer would please Beth.

"Really? You're not at all concerned that it could be a set up?" Carol's confusion strung deep within her words, expecting a different answer from her friend.

"Maybe it could be, but like Tyreese said, we won't know unless we find out. We'll just have to be cautious is all," The roughness in Daryl's voice hung in the air as silence settled between them.

Carol paused in thought until she finally accepted his answer. "Okay, we'll head out at first light."

Suddenly, a spark from the fire belted up and lit a reflection in Beth's eyes just as an idea rushed to her mind, causing her to straighten her back abruptly. "What if there are others from the prison there?"

Daryl cocked his head at her as Carol and Tyreese looked at each other. This was certainly something that had entered their minds, but as much as they wanted to believe it, they knew the chances of that were very slim.

"Perhaps…" Carol drummed her fingers on her knee, "But we can't be certain. It's best not to get our hopes up."

Beth nodded as she looked down to her feet. She lifted an eyebrow as her unblinking eyes stared in thought. Within all odds, they found Carol, Tyreese and Judith, so who's to say they wouldn't find the others? It was wishful thinking and Carol was right—the idea of ever finding her sister, her brother-in-law, or anyone one else was unlikely, and she had to keep it that way for her own sake.

Unexpectedly, she felt Daryl's arm stretch around her back as his forearm reached up towards the middle of her shoulder blades. His fingers lightly traced circles around the base of her neck, and it snapped her out of her thoughts. He could sense her sorrow, but it was easy to detect. When she looked at him, he kept his eyes directed on the camp fire, trying his hardest not to look her way. On instinct, she bravely inched closer until their legs touched, and she leaned onto his side and settled her head in the crook of his neck.

Daryl froze for only a moment until he decided to wrap his right arm around her waist, encouraging the embrace. The strands of her blond hair tickled his face, but it didn't bother him. He was content, just like at the funeral home when he would lie down and listen to her playing the piano while she'd sing different songs. Although this specific situation had never happened before and it made him feel a little awkward, it was also calming.

As the fire began to dwindle down, Beth had fallen asleep on him, and Daryl found that the only ones who were left awake were him and Carol. He figured this was his moment to talk to her privately as he never had the chance to do it earlier. Carefully, Daryl lifted Beth up slightly as he moved himself out of his spot, and gently laid her down on the blanket beneath them. As he stood and began walking towards Carol, it had caught her attention immediately.

"Still awake?" Carol asked thoughtfully, but a smirk appeared on her lips.

Daryl grunted slightly as he leaned against a tree beside her, "Can't sleep." He had wondered if Carol had thought anything of this new closeness between him and Beth. Daryl didn't even know what it was even if she questioned him; all he knew was that he relished it.

"Well I'm not going to ask you to take watch because you need the rest. I can just imagine how sore you're feeling right now," Carol explained as she stared at him peculiarly. His attitude and gestures were not as she remembered them to be. Something was wrong.

"I'm alright. Nothin' I haven't felt before," Daryl shrugged, not making complete eye contact with her. He was trying to figure out how to bring up such a delicate topic about Karen and David without sounding like a complete asshole.

"Okay, something is up. What is it?" Carol enquired, her voice now bursting with concern and impatience.

Daryl looked at her hesitantly then, surprised by how well she read him. His once elusive disposition was starting to fail him. Either that or she was beginning to know him too well. However, his need to just get it off the table increased more and more with each passing moment, so he decided to just come out with it. "Does Tyreese know what you did?" He whispered, but the coarseness in his voice made his question sound sharper than intended.

Carol was taken aback, unable to speak for what felt like several seconds until she finally regained her composure. "I guess Rick told you?"

"Yeah, he did. He told a few of us but never got the chance to tell Tyreese before the prison was blown up by the shit faced Governor and his lackeys," Daryl spoke with anger when he mentioned their previous antagonist.

Carol eyed the ground as she briefly nodded, accepting the rage that was brewing inside of her friend. When she finally looked at Daryl, she replied to his question, "Yes, Tyreese knows. I told him a couple nights ago. He said he forgives me."

Daryl was a little shocked as he did not expect the answer she gave him, but it allowed an instant sense of relief as far as Tyreese was concerned. However, there was one more thing he needed to know that was still itching harshly beneath his skin. "Rick said you did it for us. What does that mean?"

Carol sighed, wishing not to speak about it but she knew he wouldn't stop asking until an answer was given. "Karen and David were the first ones to get sick after Patrick. I thought that maybe by executing them and burning their bodies it _might_ stop the sickness from spreading. It was something I knew I had to do to try and keep everyone else safe. I didn't want to; you have to know that…"

Daryl fell silent for a few moments, finding the explanation difficult to hear. However, he was glad she had a plausible reason for it and it wasn't just because she went crazy. "I found it hard to believe Rick when he first told me. Thought that maybe you were jus' coverin' for someone."

"No. I am the one who has to bear the guilt, nobody else," Her voice was grave as she hung her head low, knowing she would have to keep this with her for the rest of her life.

Daryl remembered back to when Rick said that Carol had no guilt in what she did, but he wondered now if maybe that had changed. It must have, otherwise she wouldn't have used that word. He trusted Carol too much to think any differently. Without speaking, Daryl lifted himself off the tree and put a hand on her shoulder, consoling her as best he could. Carol placed her hand on his, no longer able to hold back a sob. The moment her first tear fell, Carol turned directly to face him and then pulled him into a hug. They stood there for several seconds until Carol let go, finally able to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"I'll take watch," Daryl whispered, relieving her from her post.

Carol instantly shook her head. "No, you had a hard day and you need your rest to heal. I'll stay awake."

"I'm not tired," Daryl protested sharply as he took a quick, protective glimpse at Beth.

Carol smiled, realizing why he was so eager, and lowered her tone to a whisper, "Don't worry, I'll make sure she's safe, but you need the rest."

He shot Carol a glance, and almost felt a flush of embarrassment. Daryl was glad that the darkness covered the crimson that burned on his cheeks.

His instant response afterwards was a _'humph,'_ but he quickly shook it off and accepted her request. However, a part of him was relieved at the idea of lying down and going to sleep, as much as he hated to admit it. Without another word, Daryl left her side back towards the fire that was now only burning inside the coals. He stood there silently, watching Beth sleeping peacefully on the blanket. As he eyed around the rest of the camp, he spotted another empty blanket which was for either him or Carol.

Daryl sighed in thought, unsure of which route to take, but at the last moment he decided it was best to sleep on his own blanket. In the end it made more sense, but as he lied there by himself, he stole a few glances at Beth from time to time realizing that she was shivering. It bothered him that he didn't have the guts to move over beside her and keep her warm, and because of that he found it difficult to fall asleep. But then another thought came to his attention, and he decided to just go with it as his own mind games were making him irritated.

Daryl stood up clumsily, staggered by the throbbing pain but tried his hardest to disregard it, and took the sheet from underneath him and crouched over beside her. Without hesitation, he pulled it over her carefully, trying his best not to wake her. Beth slurred for only a moment, but remained asleep. When he finished his task, he lied down a couple feet away from her, giving enough respect of her space but remained close enough where he was still on her blanket. After several minutes he realized that she had stopped shivering. This satisfied him enough where he was finally able to close his eyes and fall asleep.

Carol had happened to witness the kind gesture of Daryl's, and she smiled to herself. She couldn't quite understand how such an unlikely pair had formed, but she figured that their time alone was all that they needed. After all, opposites do attract, and Beth was good for him despite the age difference. She wondered if they were even aware of the relationship that was forming between them, and as an outsider looking in, it was unmistakably obvious. Carol couldn't help but feel a small pang of envy, but she would let it go as she was content with having such a close friend like Daryl. She was happy for them, truly.


	4. It's Not You, It's Me

**A/N:** This is my shortest chapter yet, so I apologize! I know I promised them to be longer, but I wrote these over a year ago and it isn't until chapter six when they start getting over 4k words each. Look at this one as a filler, if you will. I will post chapter five tomorrow instead of waiting a day and a half or so like usual. I waited quite a while before I started posting chapters of Love and Survival on here because I wanted to get ahead. I also had a really long break from this story, but now I'm in full swing!

CHAPTER FOUR

Beth awoke the next morning with an unexpected surprise. She had almost forgotten about falling asleep on Daryl when she had first opened her eyes, but now she was lying on the ground with a blanket on top of her. Her body was facing the campfire and she had undoubtedly felt a presence behind her, along with subtle puffs of air that tickled her neck. Beth turned her head and torso, noticing Daryl sleeping close beside her. From the first night they spent alone together until now, they had never slept side by side. She felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest from the surprise of his presence, but when she studied the innocence in his features it had comforted her nerves and she drew out a smile.

When Beth turned her whole body around to face him, Daryl slowly opened his eyes. The small gap between them had startled him, realizing that he must have moved closer to her during his sleep. Perhaps his body sought out the warmth from the one beside him. Almost instantly he wanted to stand up in fear of the situation and also of what she might think, but something held him back.

It was her smile. Their faces were only inches away from each other, and Beth was watching him closely but with such tenderness that it stilled him. She said something to him—something about the morning but he wasn't paying attention. He was stuck in some transparent state of affection that she was somehow not aware of. Perhaps she didn't expect it, but then again neither did he.

"Daryl?" Beth chuckled, almost confusingly as he didn't respond to her.

Hearing his name, he quickly snapped back into reality. "Uh, yeah… right. The morning…" He stood suddenly, brushing the dust off his pants which had only puzzled Beth more.

"Thank you, by the way," she blurted out as she sat up and the sheet fell to her thighs, catching his attention.

Daryl cocked his head when he looked down at her with his hair partly covering his right eye, "For what?"

"For giving me your blanket," she stated matter-of-factly, "That's what you did, right?"

Daryl shrugged, not really expecting her to figure it out. "You were cold."

Beth smiled shyly. "You didn't have to do it."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Before she could say another word, he grabbed his crossbow and hung it over his shoulder, then quickly afterwards proceeded to tell the group that he was leaving to find breakfast. This left Beth to pounder in thought about their short conversation, realizing that he told her the same words she had said to him last night about helping him with his swelled up eye. Beth figured that this was Daryl's way of repaying her, or perhaps he was just showing his true colors of a gentleman she always knew he was. Either way, it definitely made her morning.

"He left in a hurry," Carol specified with a chuckle while she was re-lighting the campfire.

"I think I might join him," Tyreese added, standing up from the ground while fixing the knife in his sheath.

After he left, Beth walked up to Judith who sat comfortably in her baby carrier. "Can I hold her?"

Carol glanced at Beth, almost dumbfounded by the question. "Of course you can. She's all of ours."

When Beth picked up Judith, the baby became attached to her instantly, just like in the prison. It was as though they had never separated. Judith laughed and gurgled when Beth began making funny faces, but she only did it for a minute or so before she decided to start asking Carol some questions.

"So how long do you think it will be before we get to Terminus?" Beth asked curiously, attempting to avoid Judith's tugging on her ponytail.

Carol shrugged as she fiddled with her task. "Mmm, another day at least, judging by the maps."

Beth knitted her brow with mystification. "Maps?"

Carol nodded as she finally got the fire going and then turned her head to look at Beth, "There are maps pinned underneath every sign we have come across. They obviously want people to get there quickly without any trouble of finding them."

"Well that's a good thing, isn't it?" Beth smiled as she felt the urge to get underway.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. We just don't know how old those signs are," Carol mirrored the younger woman's expression. She didn't want to dampen Beth's mood, but she still remained uncertain about the whole ordeal. After a few seconds of silence, Carol continued to talk but attempted to change the subject. "I hope those two will be able to catch a lot of rabbits or squirrels. I'm starved, and cans of vegetables just doesn't quite do it for me."

Beth chuckled slightly. "Yeah, me too," she agreed as she felt a grumble deep within the pit of her stomach, but grabbed a container of preserved fruit to tie her down until Daryl and Tyreese returned. Hunger was something she would never be able to get used to.

...

They had already been on the tracks for a couple hours when the sun was at its highest point in the sky. Things kept quiet for the most part, except for the birds chirping which were reminiscent of what the world used to be. It gave them a sense of normalcy right up until they would bump into the next walker down their path. One walker meant nothing; in fact they were quite pathetic on their own. It was the packs that were the most intimidating.

Beth wasn't the one who wanted to be the first to complain about her legs and feet as they probably expected it of her, but she was feeling ready for a break. They had been walking for quite some time, and the others didn't seem like they'd ever stop. However, before she could speak up, someone beat her to it.

"Hold up," Daryl announced as he pushed ahead of them; stopping when he reached a sign that had been nailed to a post, "It's one of them signs you were talkin' about." He scanned closely at the words before reading them aloud, "' _those who arrive survive_.'"

"They've all been sayin' that," Tyreese explained as he caught up to Daryl, "I want to believe it's true."

Beth was listening closely, but her eyes were staring down at her feet. A chocolate bar wrapper was poking out from beneath her shoe. It was an odd sighting to see something like this in the middle of nowhere looking spotless and brand new, and the fact that it could have been just a coincidence seemed out of the question. Someone was here recently, but before she could think about it any further, Carol snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Looks like we have company," Carol wielded her knife instantaneously as she spoke and faced the walkers that approached them.

Beth followed with her own blade as Daryl took out his crossbow. Tyreese remained still, not wanting to join in. He had done enough killing since yesterday as far as he was concerned. There were only four walkers, so it would be easy enough for the three of them to do the job. If he were to be named a coward, he didn't care.

"Tyreese?" Carol questioned the man behind them as she looked around her shoulder, her brow knitted in confusion.

"I'd like to sit this one out," he replied as Daryl and Beth had now casted a puzzling look at him, "Please." He was still stricken by the deaths of Lizzie and Mika.

Beth glanced at Carol who nodded slowly in understanding before they turned once again at the trifling threat in front of them. Almost instantly, Daryl aimed his crossbow and released a bolt; watching it fly straight through the forehead of the walker that was missing an arm. Before he could take out another, Beth had already rushed in, causing his heart to beat rapidly with startling worry. Carol followed in pursuit; grabbing the neck of a female walker and stabbing it stiffly in its temple. Beth did merely the same thing only with a little more trouble. When the walker fell, the blonde barely kept her balance as she still held onto her knife which was embedded deeply into the walker's skull. It only made Daryl's heart pound more as he witnessed the last walker attempting to grab at Beth which then successfully got a hold of her wrist. Without another thought, he put an arrow in place and aimed carefully but swiftly; he did not hesitate as he pulled the trigger.

Beth was trying to pull away, but when the bolt pierced the walker's head, the sudden release of its grasp made her fall over on her ass. Carol was already behind her, prepared to strike when Daryl's arrow got to it first.

"Are you alright?" Carol asked alarmingly as she grabbed Beth's hand to help her get onto her feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Beth replied with a tinge of embarrassment; not wanting to talk about it further as she brushed herself off.

Daryl ran up to them only to bend down and jerk Beth's knife out of the walker's skull. Without reluctance he took out his red bandana from his pocket and wiped the blade of any blood before carefully handing it back to Beth. He looked at her briefly, and her eyes glossed over staring right back. Her chest was still heaving from the exhilaration of the events just moments before. It wasn't until she began to smile that his stomach fluttered uncontrollably.

"Beth can handle herself," Daryl spoke gently; forcing himself not to smirk back as he turned away to finish up collecting his bolts. He didn't dare look at her again until the sensation inside of him died down.

Beth's smile widened even more at Daryl's compliment. Despite the fact that he walked away before she could even make a response, his obvious blushing catered to her satisfaction. Carol only chuckled to herself before returning to Tyreese's side which was then followed by silence.

It wasn't long before the group continued on again, and Beth had merely forgotten about the pain in her legs and feet altogether. The only thing she seemed to take notice of was Daryl walking only a few paces ahead of her as his crossbow hung lazily on his hip. The way he held himself as he took every stride gave her flutters inside her stomach. This man was beginning to drive her crazy; the good crazy.

...

It was a few more hours before the sun began to set, tinting the sky with hues of red and oranges. As much as Beth wanted to stand out and watch the marvellous view from the open field, the others wanted to remain hidden amongst the trees. The branches blocked most of her vision to the sky, casting her group in the shadows and away from possible danger. When the moon appeared, the cold chill came with it hand in hand.

They settled quickly, doing their nightly ritual of laying blankets, starting a fire and cooking what little scrapes they had. Daryl made sure he caught a couple rabbits before dark, but the meal didn't get very far between the four of them. Luckily they still had some baby food for Judith and a few more cans of beans and vegetables, but even that they were running low on. As much as Daryl was pleased to be reunited with Carol and Tyreese, he couldn't help but think about how food never seemed to be too much of a problem when it was just him and Beth.

As the night carried on, Daryl offered to take watch, keeping himself distant from the rest of the group as he leaned heavily against a tree trunk. Beth watched him from time to time, finding it rather difficult to fall asleep. It bothered her that he hadn't spoken a word to her since their encounter with the walkers. He didn't even exchange glances with her. Beth figured he was avoiding her, but she had no idea why. This frustrated her beyond belief, so she decided it was best just to talk to him and get this paranoia off her chest.

Beth stood up and marched over to Daryl, feeling confident as she did. However, when she reached him, she realized she didn't quite know what to say. Beth was at a loss for words and before she knew it, the man she came to confront was staring right at her. His bangs messily covered his brow.

"Hey," Beth cleared her throat, feeling a little shy. Her agitation grew weak with his concerned expressions.

Daryl nodded as he regarded her, and then looked back at his feet, barely being able to hold a stare. He could feel his mouth already beginning to dry up from her presence.

Beth wanted to retort instantly by his lack of response, but she held it in. "Is everythin' alright?"

Daryl held his tongue for a moment, contemplating on her question and how he could answer. He was a little surprised by how Beth was beginning to understand his actions and emotions just like Carol had. Usually he hid that well from people. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Beth huffed lightly as she brushed a golden lock out of her eyes, knowing full well that he was avoiding her question. She usually let it go, but this time she was eager, just like that night at the Funeral Home. "You're not _fine_. I'm not stupid ya know."

Daryl shot her a glance at the word she used and his tone softened. "I know you're not stupid. You're far from it." The last thing he wanted was for her to believe he thought that.

Beth's stomach fluttered once again as she felt her cheeks begin to burn whilst under his stare. "You've been distant today," she pointed out matter-of-factly, trying to forget the sudden feelings that stirred inside her.

Daryl shrugged as he shifted his weight against the tree trunk. He wanted her to say more, but the following silence told him that she was waiting for a response. "I don't mean to be."

"Can I ask why?" Beth was beginning to feel anxious as she crossed her arms.

Daryl rubbed the side of his face with his hand for a brief moment, wishing he could just walk away, or perhaps disappear altogether. He didn't want this conversation because talking about personal topics like this one was just not his forte. Within twenty seconds of silence, he thought about saying something a few times, but his mouth could never open. Instead, he looked back down at his feet, feeling defeated and somewhat annoyed. He wasn't sure if he was annoyed by Beth's prodding or because he was too chicken shit to answer her. It was most likely a bit of both.

Beth felt a wave of disappointment splash over her by his quiet demeanor. "I guess that's a no," she sighed, "But if I did somethin' wrong then I feel I have the right to know, Daryl."

His eyes looked up by the sound of his name rolling off her tongue. Once again she spoke with false accusation about what he thought. Daryl finally decided to cast a side glance in her direction. "You did nothin' wrong Beth, its jus' me."

Beth chuckled half-heartedly. "The _'it's not you, it's me'_ scenario? I get it."

"You could put it that way," Daryl shrugged, "It's just what it is."

"I thought things had changed between us—I thought we could talk about stuff," Beth's voice began to heighten in a higher, more emotional tone. "Our last few nights alone together—"

"This is different. I can't explain it," Daryl interrupted her, shaking his head as he finally lifted himself off the tree.

Beth knitted her brow. "But it's to do with me?"

Daryl kicked the dirt with his right foot. Why did she have to know everything? Better yet, how was she able to have such an effect on him? He began to chew on his bottom lip, feeling smothered by her questions. He could feel her curious stare burning his skin as he looked up to see her features being lit up from the moon. "Beth…"

She nodded suddenly. "Okay, I get the hint that you don't want to talk about it. It's just frustratin' is all. I'm sorry…"

The same irritating strand of hair that fell a couple minutes ago had fallen down once again across Beth's cheek. As she went to instinctively sweep it back, Daryl had surprisingly beaten her to it. She felt the roughness of his palm lightly brush against her cheek as he did the task. Instead of pulling his hand away right afterwards, his fingers lingered behind her ear as his thumb softly caressed the area under her cheekbone.

Beth's heart began to race, but she couldn't help but wonder about his motives. However, she wasn't going to ask him another question. Instead, she closed her eyes in the contentment of his touch. Perhaps this was his way of trying to explain what was going on without having to say it. Wild notions began brewing inside her head, and she pondered about his affections for her. Perhaps this was why he avoided Beth throughout the second part of the day. Maybe he was realizing how he felt for her.

"You should get some sleep," Daryl said as he slowly parted his hand from her cheek, "I'm the one doin' the night watch, remember?"

Beth opened her eyes hazily as she smiled blissfully in his direction. She hesitated for only a moment before she replied. "Okay. Good night Daryl."

He nodded as she turned and walked away. As he watched her lay down on the empty blanket by the campfire, Daryl had wondered if maybe he made a mistake caressing Beth's cheek the way he did. He didn't realize what he was doing until it was already too late. But maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Either way, he had all evening and early parts of the morning to think about; just as long as trouble didn't decide to show up.

Daryl sighed, knowing full well that it was going to be a long night.


	5. No Sanctuary

**A/H:** Hey all! I just want to thank everyone for your lovely reviews and to the many more followers I have received! I also wanted to bring up that this chapter is off of a scene from the actual show. I know some of you may not like it, but unfortunately it had to be done because like I said previously in an authors note from my first chapter, I had to get past this point and I know I couldn't have done a better job then the actual writers! So I wanted to make a disclaimer that I do not own this scene, and most of the lines in it. After this chapter, things can finally get underway! So if you want to skip this one, I completely understand! Apologies again.

CHAPTER FIVE

"We should be almost there," Carol called out to Daryl and Beth who both walked several feet behind her and Tyreese.

It was the early afternoon. A couple hours had passed since they started making their way towards Terminus. They were high on alert, and with every step they took the more anxious they became. Beth found herself continuing to fix the strap of the baby carrier that held Judith on her back, and it only made the situation more strenuous for her. She couldn't help but feel a rush of relief when Carol answered her question about how far they were from Terminus. Beth was fed-up with always being on the move, so she couldn't wait to relax in what would hopefully be their new permanent home. Perhaps she was putting too much promise in Terminus, but at this point she couldn't care less.

She remained deep in her thoughts until the moment she bumped into Carol who happened to stop a few moments prior. It only took Beth a second to realize what was going on as she heard familiar groans coming from a clearing not too far ahead. Daryl instinctively drew out his crossbow, but Tyreese and Carol had a better idea.

"Over here," Tyreese whispered, waving Beth and Daryl towards him as he rushed silently to the other side of the brush just as the first walker appeared from behind the trees. Carol was already ahead of them.

Hiding wasn't necessarily Daryl's forte, but it soon became evident that perhaps Carol and Tyreese's idea of running was a good one, as many more walkers followed pursuit behind the first undead that showed its face. Beth counted up to twelve before she felt Daryl pull her farther into the trees for a much safer distance, but she could see that there was much, much more. In their rush to get away in the quietest manner possible, Beth couldn't help but grow with concern over Judith who was strapped—almost—securely on her back. All she kept hoping for was that the baby wouldn't start crying. However, it was obvious that the walkers could still track their scent, and it became clear that hiding proved to be pretty useless.

"We can't stay here!" Beth hissed in fear as she watched the hungry mouths of the dead inch closer.

Then suddenly—like a strange miracle, gunshots echoed throughout the air which seemed to come from all directions, startling the group. Despite being alarmed at the nerve racking sound, it was easy to tell that the gunfire was quite a distance away from them. The sounds of barraging bullets being fired stole the attention of the herd away from Daryl, Beth, Carol and Tyreese.

Daryl narrowed his brow as he watched the undead gradually pass them as sweat drizzled down his face. He waited tolerantly with his group before they cautiously made their way back to the tracks when the guns had finally ceased fire and the walkers were out of site.

"That gunfire…" Tyreese began, speaking through his short breaths, "It could have been from Terminus."

Carol shrugged as she and the group began walking onward, "Maybe someone was attacking them."

Daryl volleyed a glance at her. "Or they were attacking someone…" he said unimpressively.

Beth shook her head, knowing that no matter the outcome, the idea of walking to Terminus now didn't seem like the safest idea. "Do we even wanna find out? I mean…gunshots don't necessarily say 'welcome.'"

Carol stopped and turned to face Beth and rubbed her shoulder in a comforting way. "Yeah…" she sighed, "There's another track through east that will get us there. We'll be real careful. We need to get answers."

"Okay," Beth nodded in settlement.

Daryl studied the trepidation in the blonde's eyes and his heart jumped to his throat. He knew he would do everything in his power to keep that girl safe. It pained him to see such innocence suffering with discontent. Finally, he realized he had to turn away as his thoughts were getting the better of him. "Let's go east then."

As they continued on their way, the damp moss and fallen trees provided an eerie setting as they knew the dead were somewhere close. Their silent footfalls left nothing but faint crunching sounds from the leaves that lay lifelessly beneath their feet. They didn't stop walking until they heard an unfamiliar voice not too far ahead of a man talking on a 2-way radio about a woman with a sword. The four of them immediately halted, listening peculiarly in on his conversation as he set up fireworks around a shed, unaware of their presence. It wasn't until what they overheard did each of their hearts leap out of their chests.

Instantly, Carol proceeded out of the trees and into the open, followed by Daryl, Tyreese and then finally Beth who all had already drawn their weapons. Carol pointed her gun out first, pressing it right at the back of the man's head just as he spoke about wanting the "kid's hat" after bleeding him out.

"Keep your finger off the button and drop it," Carol spoke with anger and distress within her forceful tone.

The man lifted his hands up in the air, nervously chewing the gum in his mouth as he shifted his eyes. "Listen, y'all don't have to do this. Whatever you want, we got a place where everyone is welcome." It was indisputable in the man's voice that he was untrustworthy.

"Shut yer mouth!" Daryl spat furiously, already fed up with the stranger's shady disposition and deceitfulness.

"We're friends with the chick with the sword and the kid in the hat," Carol explained matter-of-factly while almost losing her breath by the shock of what the man said on the walki-talkie.

"Huh, really? What a small world—"

"What did I say about shuttin' your mouth?!" Daryl's fury grew stronger as he spun himself in front of the stranger and pointed his crossbow only a few inches from his face. It was unmistakable to see that he was losing his patience. "Get in the shack!"

As the man struggled to stand up with his hands still in the air, Beth heard Daryl mutter ' _fucking deaf bastard_ ' under his breath. When they transferred him over to the shed, Beth figured that the rest of her group thought the same thing she was. Their family was at Terminus, and they were most certainly in danger. Not only that, but losing all hope with Terminus that had been carelessly building up inside her immediately shattered into pieces. However, Beth was eager to see them all again, and for a brief moment she recollected back to when her and Daryl had been drinking moonshine.

Drunk and emotional, she could barely remember what they were fighting about. The only thing that kept reciting over and over again in her head was what Daryl told her—that their friends were all dead, or that they might as well have been because they'd never see them again. Although Beth knew that he didn't truly mean it, the words still haunted her in the back of her mind until this day. Thankfully there was still hope, and she knew that too.

Inside the shed, Tyreese was the first to spot a portion of a seatbelt from a car and quickly tied it around the stranger's wrists, followed by Daryl who shoved him to the floor with his crossbow. Beth carefully took Judith off her back, thrilled to find an old cooler large enough to fit the baby inside.

"We need to get our friends back," Beth said after placing the baby down, nestling her comfortably in a blanket.

Carol regarded Beth and her eyes softened, "We will, don't worry. I have a plan."

"Whatever you do, I'm comin' with you," Daryl replied, not keeping his sight off of the man wearing the cap.

Though there was no fear in his voice, the stranger began to make up an alibi. "They attacked _us_. We're just holding them."

"I don't believe you," Carol said carelessly as she searched through the man's bag, finding a poncho and more fireworks.

Tyreese was becoming anxious; he wanted to somehow figure out if Sasha was also at Terminus. "Who else do you have? Do you know their names?"

The man shrugged and began to lie through his teeth once again. "We just have the boy and the samurai, that's it. We're just protecting ourselves!"

"I don't believe you," Carol repeated as she flashed one look at the man before pulling out the brown poncho.

The man was getting impatient. "There's a bunch of us out there in six different directions. There's a lot of gunfire back home. We need to set up our charges all at the same time to confuse the dead ones with. That's good for you too!"

"No it isn't," Carol said annoyingly as she zipped up the bag and swung it over her shoulder. "There's a heard heading toward Terminus right now. We don't want to confuse them away. We're gonna need their help."

Daryl smirked slightly as he began to figure out Carol's plan. "Tyreese, Beth. I need you both to stay here and watch him."

Tyreese nodded as he pulled out his gun, but Beth resisted. "What? I want to help!" The blonde yelled frustratingly.

Daryl shook his head as he turned to her. "No, it's safer here."

"He's right," Carol added, "Besides, Judith needs you."

Beth sighed, feeling defeated. "Alright, fine."

Daryl appreciated the strength and willingness of her offer to help, but he knew this rescue mission would be dangerous, and he felt he would do better if he didn't have to keep looking over his shoulder at her to make sure she was okay. Remembering back to when she was snatched up by that group of men only a few days back and how she was able to take down their leader, he wanted nothing more than her to stay by his side. It just couldn't be now.

Before departing, he walked over to Beth and stared at her right in the eyes. "We'll be alright."

Beth nodded slowly as Daryl pinched one of her blonde curls between three of his fingers, and she forgave him instantly. "You better be."

Daryl smirked slightly at her brassiness as he turned towards Carol who was watching them heartwarmingly. However, before they could leave, the man spoke up again.

"It's a compound," he said, pleased that both Carol and Daryl turned to look at him. "They'll see you coming… if you can even make it that far with all the cold bodies heading over." Without giving him the satisfaction, both Carol and Daryl turned away towards the exit of the shack, ignoring what the man just told them.

Tyreese placed his hand gently on Carol's arm, stopping her at the door. "Carol, how are you two going to do this?"

She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should tell him even though the answer was painstakingly obvious. Then, without one break of silence in her voice, she finally replied. "We're gonna kill people."

Tyreese blinked as he looked at her to Daryl. Then Carol walked out the door, leaving Daryl to glance over at Beth one last time. Shifting the strap of his crossbow on his shoulder, he nodded and proceeded out the door, leaving both of them to wait restlessly for their return.

...

Beth sat beside Judith, watching over her as she continued to think about what was going on outside the shack. Tyreese remained quiet, keeping his eyes on the stranger like a hawk. The silence was deafening. All Beth could hear was the aggravating sound of the man still chewing his gum which by now had most likely lost its entire flavor. She wondered if that's why he was so calm and collected. The man didn't seem to give two shits about anything.

Looking at him through the corner of her eye, she could see that he was inspecting her. It gave her chills, but she still had to give him a leer for good measure before turning back to Judith. Then that's when she heard him chuckle.

"Does the baby have a name?" The stranger asked, figuring her glance was an invitation to discussion, but Beth was unresponsive. "Hey! She got a name?"

Beth flinched every time he spoke to her, so she decided to answer him in hopes that he would stop talking. "Judith."

"Is she your daughter or somthin'?"

Beth knitted her brow as she began to feel uncomfortable. "No, she's a friend."

The man bobbed his head back a little, and then looked down to his hands. "Huh, I figured. You seem a little young to be having kids," he sighed, thinking of something else to say that would make her feel sorry for him. "I don't have any friends. I mean I know people, but they're just assholes I stay alive with. Are the other two your friends—the man and woman? Or the black guy here with you?"

Beth bit her tongue, hoping that _maybe_ by ignoring him he'd finally stay quiet. She didn't like the way he referred to Tyreese either. Unfortunately, he carried on like a broken record.

"I used to have em'. We used to watch football on Sundays—went to church," the man chuckled for a second time as he looked back down at his hands. "I know I did, but I can't picture it anymore. It's funny how you don't even notice the time go by—"

"We don't care what you have to say," Tyreese interrupted him, agitated by the smirk on the man's face.

The stranger shrugged, but the smile did not disappear. "I'm just tryin' to make conversation."

"Well don't," Tyreese uttered firmly, keeping a steady grip on his gun. "We don't need it."

The man sighed. "You two seem like good people. You're still around but you don't know how to get your hands dirty, I can tell."

Tyreese glared, annoyed by the man's attempt to be annalistic while Beth kept quiet. "You have no idea of the things I've done."

The stranger's smirk vanished, but still held a firm look. "You're a good guy. That's why you're gonna die today. That's why the girl and the baby are gonna die."

This time, Beth snapped her head in the man's direction as puzzlement shrouded her face. Tyreese gripped the gun tighter while inching himself closer.

The man lifted his hands up in a way to calm them down. " _Or,_ you guys can get in that car outside, get out of here and keep on being lucky."

Tyreese's eyes widened with anger, looking as though he was ready to strangle him. "You think you gonna kill me?"

Beth stood up, clenching her fists in worriment as she felt the angst between both men develop more and more with each passing word.

The man leaned forward with a twisted expression of confusion, but talked in a way like Tyreese was an over-sized idiot. "Why haven't you killed me? What is the point of keeping me alive? Hell, why are you even talkin' to me? You two should take the baby, take the car and go," he leaned back against the wall in disbelief. "I don't wanna do this today."

Tyreese's face began to twitch as Beth started to speak. "Tyreese, don't listen to him. He's tryin' to manipulate us."

Suddenly, before anyone could say another word, an explosion boomed in the distance, shaking the nerves of both Tyreese and Beth who ran hurriedly to a window to see what was going on. They spotted a cloud of fuming, dark smoke rolling up into the sky past the trees not too far away. Its intimidating presence caused great distress to build immediately inside them both.

The man leaned forward once again, curious about what was going on. "Was that Terminus?"

"Yeah," Tyreese quietly replied as the man let his head fall back in discouragement, "Probably."

"Maybe you're gonna win this," the stranger continued as he fiddled with the seatbelt wrapped around his wrists, "Or maybe your _friends_ just got capped. Maybe I'm the one who's gonna get capped when they come back."

"Nobody's gotta die today," Tyreese countered as he kept his darting eyes outside the window.

The man scoffed in scepticism. "Man if you believe that, then it is definitely gonna be you three—even if that place is burnt to the ground."

Tyreese was the first to look back at the stranger sitting on the floor as he clenched his hands into fists. It only took Beth a second to notice, and she knew perfectly well how violent Tyreese can be if someone got on his nerves. As much as she wanted him to knock the guy out so there would be some peace and quiet for a change, she also didn't want Tyreese getting hurt. She had to say something fast.

"Tyreese, please," Beth grabbed his arm in a gentler matter, "He's just tryin' to start a fight. He wants you to get mad. Don't listen to him."

Tyreese stopped in his tracks and faced Beth. It was hard to ignore the desperation in her eyes. "I know you're right. I just—"

Before he could say another word, the familiar, unwanted sounds of detestable groans caught his ear. He spun around quickly and jumped back to the window as though he were being sucked up by a vacuum. Beth's heart leaped violently when she saw his eyes piercing through the glass and his mouth dropping open in horror. Then he leaped to the next window just as she too heard the growling outside, and her heart beat quickened. She dashed over to him to see how many walkers there were.

Before they could react to what was going on, the stranger who they had completely forgotten about stood up and rushed over to Judith who was left alone laying in the cooler. Hearing the shuffle of his feet, both Tyreese and Beth spun around to see a horrific sight. The man had his hands inside the cooler, right at Judith's head and throat. They began to sprint forward but were cut short when the man shuffled back a few inches, dragging the cooler with him.

"Back off!" He yelled, once again moving the cooler another few inches away just as Judith began crying. "BACK off!"

Beth took one or two steps back with Tyreese following right after, regretting very hard that she left Judith's side. Now she was wishing that she had let Tyreese beat the guy up. Why did she always have to try and be a good person?

"Please, please don't harm her," Beth pleaded, knowing full well that he wouldn't give a shit.

"Both of you put the weapons on the ground and kick them over right now," the man demanded, then waited a second before yelling again. "RIGHT NOW!"

Shakily, both Tyreese and Beth took out their knives and guns and knelt down, cautiously placing them on the floor. Just as they kicked the weapons over, the walkers outside were now banging at the windows, wanting to get in.

"Please… don't hurt her," Tyreese begged as sweat dribbled down his cheeks.

The man's face held no expression as he kept his hands on the baby. "Go outside. GO. OUT. SIDE!" Seeing as they remained standing still in utter shock, he continued to make threats. "It takes one twist!"

"NO!" Tyreese put so much force into his voice when he yelled that it seemed like his lungs were going to explode.

"Don't make me!"

All Beth could hear was Judith's crying and the walls shaking by the beating hands of the dead. She tried to fight it, but tears started to fall from her eyes, knowing there was nothing neither of them could do.

"Go outside," the stranger said more calmly, looking down at the baby then back to them.

Beth noticed in the corner of her eye that Tyreese was beginning to walk backwards towards the door, so she decided to do the same. She couldn't believe that this was it. She had no chance against the walkers outside without any weapons to defend herself with. Images of her sister and the rest of the group flashed through her head like bolts of lightning, and then there was Daryl. Beth felt like she let him down, like everything she figured he used to think about her was true. She could never defend herself like Michonne or Carol as much as she would have liked to. Beth thought about how he'd never get the chance to teach her how to use the bow, and then to how saddened he and the others would be when they learned of her and Tyreese's deaths.

Then the door creaked open behind her and the sun touched her skin. Giving up, she expected to be eaten alive at any moment. And then images of her father, mother, Maggie, the rest of her family and her life on the farm began flashing through her mind. In that split second, she heard the growling get louder and Tyreese yelled as he pushed the dead back with his arms. What happened next was a blur, but the sun was still shining and the dead were not grabbing at her.

"Beth!" Tyreese cried a few moments later as he gripped the neck of one walker and used all his strength to hit its head against the car.

Beth snapped her head up, watching the walkers try to grab at Tyreese. Without a thought, her instincts took over as she snatched a large, sharp rock and sprinted in his direction. Making no hesitation, she swung her arm in the air and wailed the jagged object right into the walker's skull that just nearly took a bite out of Tyreese's arm.

"Behind you!" Tyreese yelled, side stepping away hurriedly.

Beth spun around and dodged a walker who tried to snatch her. It only took a few seconds before Tyreese grabbed it and threw it against a wall of the shack, banging its head on it several times until the walker fell lifelessly to the ground.

It was the last one. Tyreese had managed to kill them all with his bare hands, and it happened so quickly. She looked at him wide-eyed. Without a second of hesitation, he ran straight to the door of the shack and rammed it open with his right shoulder. Beth followed pursuit but stopped in her tracks at the door. Tyreese was already on top of the man holding his knife to his throat, uncertain where he got it from. Beth could hear them speaking, but the words were impossible to understand through their whispers. Then before she knew it, Tyreese hit the man again, and again, and again yelling the words "I won't" with every punch.

Beth winced from the scene in front of her, and after the fifth blow she just couldn't stand it anymore. "Tyreese STOP!" She yelled as she ran to his side, "You've done enough! He's not going to do anything anymore!"

She had to say it several times before he finally stopped, and all fell quiet except for the heavy sounds of their breathing. She stared at the man's battered and bloody face before rushing over to Judith, hoping that the baby was alright. Once Beth picked her up, she took another glimpse at the man lying stationary on the floor. His blood was everywhere; on the floor, on his face, his chest and also on Tyreese. Beth wondering if the man was dead or if he had just passed out. In all honesty, she hoped he was dead. She didn't want to deal with anymore shit today.


	6. People Like Us

**A/N:** Phew! Glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter! This one has a few lines from the show at the beginning of the chapter, but that's it. I named this chapter after a song by Kelly Clarkson only because the words work so well with TWD! Anyways, hope you like this one!

CHAPTER SIX

An hour or so passed since Tyreese attacked the man from Terminus, but to Beth it felt much longer than that. The stench of the dead filled her nostrils as she helped Tyreese drag the walkers beside the shack and settled with stacking the bodies in a small pile. The last one they carried out was the man from Terminus, and by then she knew he was gone. Tyreese made sure to sink the knife into the man's brain before he turned. Now all they both waited for were the return of their group, keeping a much needed silence between them. Judith's gurgles and laughs kept their spirits and hopes up as she so effortlessly had done in the past.

After the cleanup, they decided to stay inside to hide in case there was anyone from Terminus skulking about. They both didn't know what to expect after the commotion of what they figured was most likely Terminus, had subsided. The waiting game was testing her because by this point Beth was anxious to find out what was going on.

"We should do somethin'," Beth brought up as she retained her eyes on the baby.

Tyreese shook his head, and after a brief moment of silence he forced the words out of his mouth. "No, we should stay here like they told us to."

"But what if they need our help?" Beth disputed, and then wavered for a second in thought as she began to cry. "What if…what if something happened to our friends and we're just sittin' ducks—"

For the first time since the past hour, Tyreese snapped a look at her, startling her as he did. "They not dead," he said sharply, attempting to sound reassuring but didn't seem too convincing. "They are going to expect us to be here when they arrive."

Beth looked down at her hands, feeling a little embarrassed at her own comment, but she wanted to think rationally too. It was hard for her to sit and do nothing, but she decided to respect Tyreese's decision and wait a little longer—even if he did share a good point. The part that was eating away at her was how much she already missed Daryl. Beth wanted him here more than anything and the thought of something happening to him was gradually making her suffer. It was nauseating.

"Do you hear that?" Tyreese asked unexpectedly, and instantly Beth felt her heart skip a beat.

"Hear what?" She replied, trying hard to keep her ears open.

"Listen, I hear voices," Tyreese said as he slowly raised himself up off the floor, nearly losing his balance as he did.

Beth reflected his actions and got to her feet and stood silently, finally hearing the voices as well. She rushed to the window then but hid behind the wall, sneaking a glimpse outside in case it was trouble. Tyreese followed, but stood across from her on the other side of the window. For a brief moment, they looked at each other. It was a kind of an uneasy encouragement that no matter what happened, they would be OK.

Taking one last deep breath, Beth turned her head and glanced out the window. She identified several people not too far away behind a few trees down the road. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, causing her whole body to shake. She couldn't recall ever being so nervous. But then, just where the treeline ended, the figures stepped out, and she realized without a doubt that it was Carol and Daryl, and behind them was Rick as they turned onto the gravel road. She lost it.

"It's them!" Beth cried, leaping up into the air as Tyreese nodded with a relieving smile, grabbing him in a quick, victory hug.

Beth ran to Judith and picked her up in her arms, telling her that she was going to see her daddy even though she knew the baby couldn't comprehend what she was saying. Tyreese kept watch at the window, too in shock to even move as he also saw Carl wearing his favorite hat, then Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Bob and then…

"Sasha," Tyreese spoke softly with astonishment as he rushed to the door.

Beth turned around, blinded by the sunlight as it entered the once gloomy shed after the door swung open. She made no hesitation to follow right behind Tyreese, departing the building with complete exhilaration and happiness as she caught Maggie's eyes and then Rick's. Then suddenly, the man who lost virtually all hope of ever seeing his daughter again dropped everything he carried and ran straight for them. His eyes were already rich with tears. Carl followed his dad as a big smile creased his lips.

"Beth!" Maggie yelled in happiness as she too began to run with her arms outward, ready for a hug. Sasha was right behind her as she made her way over to her brother with the largest smile on her face.

Beth kept her arms out handing Judith to Rick who instantly held the baby tightly in his arms. She then proceeded to walk a few steps past him and Carl before practically getting knocked over by her sister who smothered her in a hug. Glenn was right behind Maggie as he too joined the embrace.

Carol and Daryl watched everyone reunite as laughs and cries filled the air. They already had their turn of hugs, but to see everyone all back together again was something they wouldn't miss for the world. Staying a respectful distance from everyone else was Tara, Abraham, Eugene and Rosita who waited patiently for everyone to finish with their hellos.

Daryl kept his eyes on Beth, pleased to see her smiling as she hugged Maggie and Glenn, then Carl and then Rick. Smirking slightly, he kicked the dirt and watched the dust fly up and disappear as he stayed back and waited. Before long, he finally caught her eye and she grinned. Her face beamed brightly, and even with her hair askew and dirt on her skin, it was hard not to admit that she was beautiful.

Squeezing her way between Bob and Michonne, Beth walked quickly over to Daryl. When she finally reached him, she looked up and smiled once again and spoke in a cheeky tone. "I shouldn't have doubted you, Daryl Dixon."

He cocked his head with uncertainty. "Whadda ya mean?"

"You and Carol. You saved them. I admit I got worried, but the moment I saw you all appear out behind the trees…I realized that I shouldn't have doubted you," Beth explained, now sounding more serious as she grabbed his hand and carefully intertwined her fingers with his, "You told me you'd be alright, and without fail you always do what you say."

Daryl stared down at her, listening to every word. He really didn't know what to say, so instead he kept quiet, feeling his heart sting with every word he could not speak.

"Thank you…for just being you," Beth finished, squeezing his hand for a moment before letting go.

Daryl shrugged, fighting very hard to keep cool even though many emotions were causing havoc deep within him. "I ain't that special. Any one of us woulda done the same."

"Maybe," Beth said, feeling a little shy as she tried with great confidence to say what she was thinking of saying next. "They probably would have, but you're different."

Daryl straightened his back as he tried to figure out what she meant. Struggling to do so, he decided he had to ask. "How?"

Beth smiled slightly but hesitated with her answer. She wanted to tell him right then about how she felt, but she couldn't. For now, all she could do was blush. "You just _are_."

Daryl wanted to question her more as her subtleness was driving him crazy, but he felt a presence walk up beside them and noticed it was Carol and Tyreese when he turned to look.

"So what happened?" Carol asked Beth and Tyreese, referring to the man from Terminus.

Beth kept silent, a little taken aback and still shaken over the ordeal, but Tyreese took a glance at the bodies before looking back at Carol. "There were a bunch of walkers out here and…he had his hands around Judith's neck."

Instantly Carol was disgusted, taking a step forward with no hesitation to face the man herself, but Tyreese grabbed her arm before she could walk away.

"No, he's dead. I…I had to, so I did. I could," he whispered, feeling no regret.

Carol nodded slightly before turning to Beth. "I'm glad to see that you're both O.K. I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

Beth shook her head as Daryl stared at her closely with concern. "No, its fine. We had to do what we had to do. The walkers…it was just normal every day stuff."

Before either of them could say any more, Rick began to speak to the group. "I dunno if the fire's still burnin'," he said as he glanced in the distance at the smoke while wiping dirt from his hands with an old cloth. He had previously handed Judith to Carl.

"It is," Carol spoke out, remembering what Mika said to her about what the certain shades of smoke meant.

Rick glanced over his shoulder at her in thought before looking forward again. "Yeah, we need to go."

Daryl walked a few steps towards Rick. "Yeah, but where?"

"Anywhere that's far from there," Rick pointed over towards Terminus before turning around and walking towards Daryl and the rest of the group who now seemed to be crowded in front of the shack.

Without a word, Maggie placed her hand on Beth's back in a way to get her to walk together as the rest of the group instantaneously began to move in the same direction. They ended up reaching the tracks, walking the opposite direction from which they came. It was a strange feeling to be heading away from a place that they took days to reach, only to be disappointed by the outcome. For a while Beth was placing all her hope on Terminus to be their new home, but now that the group was back together she realized that it didn't matter where they were anymore. As long as they were together, she'd be fine with that.

As they passed one of the signs from Terminus that read " _sanctuary_ ," Rick slowed down into a full stop, staying back behind the group as he read the sign one last time. Crouching down, he rubbed some dirt onto the same cloth he used to wipe his hands with before standing up straight once again. Reaching his arm out, he crossed off all of the words except for " _sanctuary_ " and wrote " _no_ " above it. It was the best he could do to lure any other survivors away from a place that would most likely be overrun with walkers. The sign was a lie after all, and he only wanted to write down the truth. Tossing the rag into the bush, he continued his way down the tracks to catch up with everyone else. He could only hope that everyone from Terminus had been put down, just as they so rightly deserved.

...

Beth was exhausted. The group had been walking for several days since they left Terminus, barely taking any breaks. She looked forward to the evenings when she could rest, only starting all over again early the next morning. The sun was finally setting to finish off another day when Michonne spotted an old cabin that she figured was a good place to stay for the evening. It was the safest bet rather than sleeping out in the open where walkers could come from all sides. Still, Abraham argued that he would prefer to keep watch with Rosita for the evening.

In the middle of what seemed to be the living room, Tara, Bob and Sasha had gathered some firewood and placed it into the old stone fireplace. With some effort, they were able to luckily get a fire going. Amongst the group, they carried more weapons then they did food, so they had to share it sparingly. Daryl was itching to go hunting for some meat, but it would get dark soon and he knew he would have to wait until morning before he could go out further into the woods. So instead he skulked around the outside of the cabin, hoping that he might get lucky and spot anything furry nearby while Abraham watched him with curiosity.

Beth was sitting in the corner of the living room with Glenn and Maggie. The feeling of being able to spend some quality time together still felt so surreal. In the background of their conversation, Carol, Michonne, Carl and Rick were playing with Judith whose little gurgles and laughs settled everyone into a more relaxing mood. However, Beth's conversation with Glenn and Maggie grew to be very dark.

"They had us in a train car at first," Glenn was saying after Beth had finally asked him what happened. He was barely able to keep eye contact with anyone as he explained. "We were trying to make weapons with the few things we had like belts, shoe laces, pieces of wood and zippers off of our jackets…we had a plan," Glenn sniffled, and Beth wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or because he was getting upset. "We were going to fight, but it was no use. They opened the top of the train car and threw some kind of gas grenade inside. The next thing I know, I'm being carried somewhere."

"That's horrible…" Beth replied, hardly able to speak. She didn't know what else to say, in fact there was nothing that she could say.

Glenn nodded his head slowly. "That's not the worst of it. It was me, Rick, Bob and Michonne. The four of us…and four others from a different train car, they…" Glenn stammered, seeming to have lost his voice for a moment but took a deep breath, "A couple people from Terminus executed the first four one at a time, knocking them out with a bat…and then slitting their throats."

Maggie looked away in utter disgust, and when she was ready to look back at her husband, she realized that the whole group had now been listening to the conversation, except for Abraham and Rosita who were still taking watch outside. Daryl, who was previously outside, was now leaning against a door frame with his arms crossed, listening intensely.

"I was next," Glenn continued, "Then Michonne, then Bob, and finally Rick…but as luck would have it, everything went into chaos after an explosion erupted somewhere in Terminus and we were able to escape," Glenn looked up at Carol and then Daryl, "If it wasn't for you two, we'd all be goners. I can't thank you both enough…"

"I owe you both everthin'," Rick added with a smile.

Daryl had suddenly become uncomfortable, realizing that now everyone's attention was on him and Carol. They were smiling and nodding in agreement, their expressions filled with gratitude. He was happy to have been there to save them, but he wasn't looking for this kind of thank you. He did what he had to do to save his family…that was all.

"It was nothin'," he finally said, his voice was rough and yet also quiet.

Beth knitted her brow at Daryl, noticing him pacing in his spot and rubbing the back of his head, and then a moment later he turned around and left. Beth stood up instantly as everyone was too busy to notice or realize what was bothering him. _'Typical Daryl'_ as they all would normally think, but Beth wasn't going to drop it. She believed she had bonded closer to him than anyone in the group, even Carol. So, going by her instincts, she went after him.

After exiting the cabin, at first glance she couldn't see him. But then she spotted Rosita who was pointing to the right, figuring Beth was going after the man with the crossbow. The blonde nodded and ran in that direction, and before long she found him sitting on a tree stump just off the dirt road under the silver light of the full moon. Daryl could read her like an open book; he knew she was going to go after him, and a part of him wished she wouldn't. Yet here he was out in the open, allowing her to find him.

"Daryl—" Beth began, but was immediately interrupted.

"What I wouldn't do for a cigarette right now," Daryl said nonchalantly while picking at his crossbow.

Beth shrugged, a little surprised by his comment. "Maybe we could find some tomorrow."

Daryl chuckled slightly as he continued not to make eye contact. "I doubt it."

Beth crossed her arms, figuring he was trying to change the subject and it only bothered her more. She decided to get straight to the point. "Daryl...they were only thankin' you. It's mandatory when you do somethin' for somebody else."

Daryl turned slightly and looked at her through his messy bangs, chewing his bottom lip. He adored her directness. "I know. I'm jus' not used to it is all."

"Okay, that's understandable," Beth nodded while brushing a lock of hair behind her ear as he looked back down to his crossbow. She stood their silently for a moment as she tapped the side of her leg with her hand, contemplating on what she should say next. The silence was killing her. "Is there room on that stump for both of us?"

Daryl glanced down and scanned the old tree. Realizing that there was more than enough room, he shifted his weight over to make some space. "Be my guest."

Beth smiled as she sat down, noticing how easily their legs touched and how he didn't pull away. "You know, when I was little," Beth continued, trying to carry on the topic, "It was either on my 5th or 6th birthday…I hid under the dining room table when everybody sang me Happy Birthday. I never really liked bein' the center of attention either."

Daryl lifted one brow as he listened to Beth's story. He found it rather endearing how she tried to get him to relax. "Hmph, well, I'm glad to see we both have _so_ much in common."

Beth didn't hesitate to elbow Daryl in the arm while laughing lightly at his comment. She then took a close look at his face. "I see your bruises are healing up well."

"Yeah," Daryl smirked, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. Minutes passed in silence as his mind was racing. There was something eating away at him and he needed to get it out. "Beth…" he said delicately, as though his own words were going to break her. He kept his eyes glued to the dirt under his fingernails.

"Yeah?" Beth replied curiously, a little taken aback. She recognized the tone of his voice, sounding identical to the night at the funeral home. Her heart leaped.

"Do you still believe there are good people out there?"

"Yes, I do," Beth said earnestly, yet surprised that he brought up the topic.

Daryl looked up but still did not give her any eye contact. "Really? Even after what happened at Terminus?"

Beth shrugged and shook her head. "You shouldn't judge the fate of humanity on just one group of people, Daryl. So we've had some bad luck—"

Daryl scoffed. "A lot more than just 'some.'"

"Okay so, _a lot_ of bad luck," Beth sighed, but not feeling quite defeated yet. "But you're forgettin' something. My daddy helped Carl and Rick, he let you all stay with us even though he didn't know who you were. Everybody with us now—Rick, Glenn, Michonne…me…if there were no good people, you wouldn't be here talkin' with me right now. This group we have would be non-existent. "

Finally, Daryl slowly turned his head to look at her, noticing for the first time how perfectly the moon shined through her eyes. Beth had a point, and it was one that was hard to argue with. "Yeah…I guess."

"Well, what about you?" Beth questioned him, interested to know his thoughts. "Back at the funeral home you told me you changed your mind. Is that not true anymore?"

Daryl leaned back, using his arms as support to keep himself from falling back. He remembered very clearly what they discussed that evening; the candles, the food…everything. He remembered how he felt at that moment, how frightening and yet how exciting it was. Beth gave him hope. However, Terminus only brought him back to realities true, cruel face.

"You don't have to answer," the blonde said, looking down at her legs touching his. The sight of it made her blush.

Daryl didn't realize how long he was taking to reply and decided he should probably say something. "I suppose there is. It's jus' harder to find, that's all," Daryl paused for a moment, wondering how lucky he truly was to have met someone like her. She was probably only one of the last few people living that could be so positive and naturally kind spirited. He didn't want that side of her to disappear from the corruption of hate and death like Carol had. Daryl couldn't ignore the intriguing smile Beth was giving him from his response. He smirked. "You're somethin' else Beth."

Beth's smile turned into a grin and her eyes crinkled playfully. "Should I take that as a good thing?"

Daryl nodded once as his smirk remained to one side of his mouth. Looking back down at his hands, he remained silent.

"Is it…is it crazy to miss back to when it was just the two of us?" Beth asked cautiously, shocked by how her words escaped her lips before she could hold them back. She truly missed the rest of the group, and she would never go back to when it was just her and Daryl, but a part of her still enjoyed it when it was only them.

Daryl froze, but inside he could feel his heart pounding. He wasn't expecting this next question, yet at the same time he was relieved. He had those same thoughts from time to time. To most people it probably would have sounded crazy, but to Daryl it was probably one of the most romantic things she could have said to him. He wasn't the greatest with romance, so that might have been the reason for it. Either way, he wasn't sure if that's how he was supposed to interpret it. Perhaps Beth only said it because she enjoyed his company and that company would now have to be shared with the rest of the group.

"I'm sorry…that was a stupid question…" Beth said with an embarrassing chuckle, hoping really hard that he would just forget about it.

Daryl glanced at her sharply. "No, it wasn't stupid. I like to have time to myself. Being with this group, I need it. But…" Daryl's voice trailed off, feeling like he was about to open Pandora's Box if he continued with what he was about to say.

Beth knitted her brow in puzzlement. "But…what?"

Daryl grunted, forcing himself to climb out of his comfort zone. His smirk had now completely vanished. When he looked at her again, Beth noticed the same face she saw back at their last evening in the funeral home just before the walkers came. "But with you…I didn't need to. I didn't have to put up a front. I could be myself, and you didn't give a shit. You didn't judge me, you didn't laugh. You were just you. Hell, lightin' that moonshine cabin on fire was some of the most fun I've had in a long time, n' it was all your idea."

Beth smiled heartwarmingly as she studied him closely. "Yeah, it was fun, wasn't it?"

Seeing him smile back made her heart pound as her nerves began to vibrate in every inch of her body. Beth wanted to kiss him then, more than anything. Leaning closer, she didn't stop until her forehead met his. She was uncertain why she did this. Her heart raced even faster when she realized he didn't pull away as she had anticipated. Beth certainly didn't expect things to go this far.

Daryl remained still, deeply breathing in the air that had just escaped her lips. He could feel her body heat emanating off of her and onto him. He had a feeling that this was coming when he decided to speak so openly. Perhaps he wanted it, but he was fighting himself, repeatedly reminding himself that this was not him. Inching back, he faltered.

"You should go back to the cabin. Maggie might start wonderin' where you are," Daryl whispered while she pulled away as he blocked out his irrational emotions as best as he could.

Beth shook her head, finding it difficult to speak. "Daryl…I don't care what my sister thinks."

Daryl sighed, beginning to feel weak as he lifted his right arm and brushed his hand over her hair and nestled a soft grip near the back by her ponytail. Beth felt bemused as his thumb slowly stroked the side of her head. This growing bond between them was unexpected. In the past, Daryl always looked at Beth as Hershel's youngest daughter and nothing more. But now, their relationship was growing to another level, and she was becoming a part of him that he needed, and didn't want to lose.

Suddenly, Beth snapped out of her trance as a branch broke not too far away in the trees. Daryl stood up abruptly in alarm, snatching his crossbow off the ground. Being careless, Beth realized she left her gun and knife back at the cabin.

"Show yourself!" Daryl yelled angrily as he heard something stepping lightly on some leaves.

"Okay, alright," a nervous, young males voice replied as he slowly stepped out of the trees with his hands up in the air, "Just promise you won't shoot me."

"I ain't promisin' anything," Daryl knitted his brow, studying the young man in front of them as he pulled Beth closer behind him. "What's yer name?"

"It's Noah. My names Noah."


	7. Survivors

**A/N:** Wow! So happy with the reviews, you guys are awesome! I hope I can continue to please you all. I'm starting to catch up to where I am thus far (currently almost finished writing chapter ten) and I wanted to remind you that this chapter was written quite a while ago. I'm not too pleased with it, and I'll explain why in another authors note at the end of this chapter. Maybe I'm thinking too hard on it! But I just want you guys to be aware of my thoughts. Thank you everyone again for following my story so far! P.S: This one contains a few more lines from the actual show.

CHAPTER SEVEN

It was a startling surprise to see a living person come out of the dark shadows of the woods rather than a flesh eating biter. It didn't exactly mean that seeing someone new was a wonderful sight, if anything they learned from past incidences, it most likely meant trouble. However, the look in the young man's face was frightened and yet desperate. Right from the offset he didn't seem like someone who was dangerous. Daryl was close to an expert at distinguishing the difference between who was good and who was deceiving.

After a few mutters between Beth and Daryl about what they should do, they decided to take Noah to the cabin. They figured they'd wait until they brought him to the rest of the group before they started asking questions. Luckily he readily agreed to have the man with the crossbow check him for bites and weapons as he tried to prove that he had nothing to hide. He truly didn't. The kid was weaponless and shaking, with absolutely no signs of any walker bites.

"Come on," Daryl pushed Noah forward towards the cabin as he and Beth stayed right behind him.

When they reached the doors, both Abraham and Rosita were startled to see a stranger among them, and decided to follow them inside to see what was going on. What they worried about most of all was Eugene's safety. When they passed the foyer and entered the living room, conversations within the group went to a complete halt, and all eyes were on Beth, Daryl and the stranger with them. Rick stood up abruptly and a look of agitation shadowed his features.

"Who is this?" Rick pointed; his voice was unsettling and riddled with urgency.

"He says his name is Noah," Daryl replied in a much calmer tone, "I already checked him for bites and weapons. He has none."

Beth stood forward, figuring she should explain what happened. "Daryl and I were talkin' and he was eavesdropping behind some bushes."

Noah shook his head. "I wasn't eavesdropping, I—"

"Then what were you doin' out there? Are you one of the people from Terminus?" Rick quickly interrupted; his patience was wearing thin as he placed his hand on the revolver that was holstered to his side.

Noah gulped as he spotted the gun, beginning to think that maybe following them wasn't his best idea. "I came from Terminus yeah, but I wasn't _from_ there. I was one of the people trapped in a train car."

Rick cocked his head as he squinted his eyes in contemplation. "How can we know that for sure?"

"Wait," Michonne said as she stood up off the floor to get a better look at Noah. "You do look vaguely familiar," she then turned to Rick with a look of optimistic reassurance. "I did see him in there after that crazy guy jumped on Glenn."

"Look," Noah continued, attempting to explain. "You guys opened the door to the train car I was in. I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I followed you all. I thought it was my best bet at surviving."

Michonne knitted her brow in puzzlement. "Well why didn't you ask us _then_ if you could come with us?"

Noah shrugged. "Everything was chaotic, I just wasn't thinking clearly. When I got out, I spotted you guys again. I wanted to make sure I could trust you first. So far you seem like good people."

"Are there any others with you or are you by yourself?" Rick proceeded to ask more questions.

"It's just me," Noah explained as he shook his head. "I didn't know the other people who were in there with me. Most of them didn't even talk."

Rick clenched his jaw just as Carl walked up beside him. "Dad, he seems harmless. We should let him stay with us."

Rick looked down as he listened to his son, but he was much too hesitant to trust a person as easily as Carl did. "I don't know," he said as he looked up to stare Noah in the eyes. "Is that what you want to do?"

"Well…I've got a crossbow pointed at my back. It's not really putting me in a good position right now," Noah explained, feeling uncertain if he should say yes.

Despite having difficulties trusting people, Rick felt like the kid was telling the truth. The fact that Michonne recognized him certainly did help with the situation. "It's okay Daryl, you can put the crossbow down."

Daryl grumbled as he lowered his weapon. "Are you gonna ask him the three questions?"

Rick nodded as he faced Noah who seemed to be utterly confused, and gave him a firm stare. After a couple seconds of silence, he took a deep breath. "How many walkers have you killed?"

"Uhh," Noah started, contemplating on the question. He wasn't quite sure why it mattered, and he was honestly hoping they weren't expecting a precise answer since he never really kept track. "A couple dozen…I guess."

"How many people have you killed?"

"Just two actually," Noah lifted his brow and spoke as though he didn't realize his answer until he said it.

Rick narrowed his eyes and his voice grew deeper. "Why?"

Noah's face became as blank as a white canvas as he thought about the ordeal earlier that day. "They tried to stop me from escaping Terminus. Killing walkers is no problem to me, but I never had the need to kill another living person…well, perhaps once before Terminus, but that never happened. Guess I didn't really know what I was capable of until I was thrown into that kind of situation," Noah explained as the group—especially Rick—listened with interest. "I figure if one of us was going down, it's either gonna be me or them, and it was definitely not going to be me."

Rick smirked, impressed by the young man's answer. It was exactly what he needed to hear—exactly what kind of strength he wanted in his group, especially if he was able to get out of Terminus alive on his own. "Well, Noah, you must be hungry," Rick chuckled as he grabbed a can of tuna off the table next to him and tossed it to him. "You can stay with us if you want, but I want you to know that I am putting a lot of faith into what you just told us."

"Thank you," Noah smiled with sincere appreciation as he made no hesitation to pop open the lid. "I'll earn my keep, I promise."

Beth was pleased to see another new face in the group that Rick actually agreed to let stay with them. It felt just like it did when he allowed all of the people from Woodbury move into the prison. She was a little surprised by how quickly Rick let his guard down since after the events at Terminus, but she could only figure it was because of what Michonne had said. If it wasn't for her, Rick would have most likely done a search around the perimeter for anyone else by now, assuming that Noah was probably lying.

For the rest of the evening, Beth remained inside the cabin by Maggie and Glenn. She was only half tuned in to their conversation, as the second half of her attention was on Daryl who sat with Carol across the other side of the room. Keeping her chin rested on her knees, she waited patiently to see if Daryl would make a glance at her.

Unfortunately for her he kept his eyes away, and the next thing she knew, everyone was yawning and shutting their eyes for some sleep. The only people that remained awake were Daryl and Rick who were murmuring quietly between each other. Noah was completely passed out from exhaustion. She figured Rick remained awake in order to keep an eye on Noah.

Beth sighed as she lay on her blanket with her head resting on her hands, watching the fire die down into embers and wondering if perhaps Daryl regretted what happened earlier that evening. She wondered if that was the reason why he had been ignoring her for the past couple hours or so.

"Are you gonna get some sleep, Beth?" Maggie whispered after she had opened one eye to see that her sister was still awake.

"I will," Beth sighed again. "I just don't feel very tired."

"Is everythin' alright?" Maggie asked with concern, now looking at her sister with both eyes wide open.

"Mhm," Beth hummed a little higher pitched than she hoped, barely making out a smirk.

"Okay then. Just so you know, I'm holding on to that ' _mhm_ '," Maggie yawned as she put her arm back around Glenn. "Goodnight, Beth."

"Goodnight," Beth replied as her voice drifted within yet another sigh; putting her head down on top of her folded arms. She decided it was better to just forget about the whole ordeal and get some sleep. Perhaps it was for the best that she and Daryl were interrupted. The notions in her head were too outrageous to think about. Her leaning over in plans to kiss him was just a momentary lapse in judgment. At least that was what Beth decided to believe.

. . .

Beth awoke early the next morning by the sounds of Judith crying loudly in Rick's arms. After sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she looked around to notice that most everyone had woken up by the same disturbance. Rick apologized quickly as he stood and bounced Judith up in down, grabbing one of the last few jars of baby food from his pack along with a clean diaper and left into the kitchen. Sitting herself up, Beth noticed that Noah was still sound asleep.

"I almost forgot what it was like to be woken up by a baby cryin'," Michonne pointed out as she stood up onto her feet and stretched.

"I'll take that over walkers any day," Tara added with a laugh.

Beth chuckled along with Michonne and a few others. As she got to her feet, she instinctively looked over at the chair where Daryl was sitting last night and quickly scanned the rest of the room, realizing that he was not around. Normally this was when she would panic, but this time she figured he had most likely gone hunting because he was itching to go since last night.

Beth proceeded to go outside to make sure, only because that was what she was used to doing when it was just the two of them, but she caught her eye on Noah who was now awake. He was sitting somewhat uncomfortably in the corner of the room by himself and she instantly stopped in her tracks. She regarded him carefully, imagining how he must feel being surrounded by complete strangers who haven't really made much of an effort to make him feel more welcome. Sighing, Beth made her way over to Noah who looked up at her curiously when he realized she was walking in his direction.

"Hey," Beth began once she reached him. "I'm Beth. I never had the chance to introduce myself properly."

A small smile curved in the corner of Noah's lips. "I wanted to apologize for last night. I didn't mean to startle you and your…boyfriend?"

Beth felt her cheeks blush suddenly, "He's actually not my boyfriend, but that's no problem. It must have been pretty scary bein' out there by yourself," she said, trying to change the topic about Daryl as quickly as she could.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It looked like you two were together, so…" Noah scratched the back of his head as his voice drifted off in awkwardness, feeling rather grateful with the subject change. "Yeah it was scary, but I always stayed pretty close to your group. I felt safer that way."

"That was a good idea," Beth said as she crouched down beside him, becoming more comfortable in his company. "I probably woulda done the same."

Noah gave a quick nod before his attention caught on to Rick exiting the kitchen with Judith who was now content and gurgling in his arms. For a brief moment, their eyes met each other's. "Is your leader usually straight and to the point?"

"Always," Beth replied without hesitation. "Lucky for you that Michonne remembered you, otherwise he'd probably be keepin' watch on you twenty four seven. Rick's not the most friendly to strangers."

"He spoke to me privately last night. He's very protective of you all," Noah continued after looking back at Beth.

The blonde shrugged. "We're practically family."

Noah smiled as he regarded everyone in the room. "It's nice. Maybe one day I can feel like a part of this family too."

Beth chuckled softly and punched him lightly in the arm. "Whether you like it or not, you already are. It's nice to finally have someone in this group the same age as me."

Noah's face beamed happily, feeling much better than he did a few minutes ago. "Thanks, Beth."

The blonde grinned just as her attention had suddenly turned to Abraham and Rosita who walked into the living room, and right behind them was Daryl with a few squirrels tied to a rope which hung over his shoulder. He instantly noticed Beth and Noah. The site of seeing them sitting side by side and laughing made him agitated. Then his eyes caught Beth's and she gave him a small, yet uncertain smile. Daryl could barely force a smile back. This new kid was already getting on his nerves, and the strangest part of it was he didn't quite understand why.

"Listen up everyone," Abraham called out, silencing Rick and everyone else as they all laid their consideration onto him. "Rosita and I took a walk down the road a ways, and we came across a short bus not too far from here. It don't run, but I bet we could fix it in less than a day or two."

Rick smirked as he stroked Judith's hair. "You found us some transport?"

Abraham nodded. "That we did, but that's not all I wanted to talk about."

Each member of the group stared at the large, red-headed man with curiosity. Just by the ambitious look on his face, it was easy to notice that he had a plan up his sleeve. To Rick and most of the others, any idea on what to do next gave them relief because until this point they always had a destination; somewhere they were headed. It helped keep them going.

"I look at each and every one of you around this room, and I see survivors. You have all deserved that title, "Abraham said, taking the silence as his doorway to continue, "Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the mornin', fight the undead pricks, forage for food, go to sleep at night with two eyes open, rinse and repeat? Cause you can do that. I mean you got the strength, you got the skill."

Carol looked around the room, feeling extremely uncomfortable as everyone else remained intrigued on what Abraham had to say. Since the group got back together, she felt like she didn't belong. She was kicked out of the prison by Rick for killing two sick people, and with what happened to the two girls, she didn't think she had a place with them anymore. Looking at the front door, she had been debating since last night if she should be walking out of it. It's what she wished she could do, but the thought of being alone again scared her more than anything.

"Thing is," Abraham continued, "For you people, for what you can do…well that's just surrender. We could get Eugene to Washington and he will make the dead die and the living will have this world again, and that is not a bad takeaway for a little road trip," he now had his eyes on Rick, hoping that he would agree with everything he had said, knowing full well that he was the person that everyone looked up to. As silence carried on, Abraham faced his companion. "Eugene, what's in DC?"

Eugene looked around, feeling a little uncomfortable as everyone set their eyes on him. He sighed. "Infrastructure constructed to withstand pandemics even at this full bar magnitude. That means food, fuel, refuge…restart."

Abraham smiled as he nodded at Eugene. "However this works out, however long it takes for the reset button to kick in you can be safe there. Safer than you've been since this whole thing started," he turned back to Rick. "Come with us. Save the world for that little one. Save it for yourselves, save it for the people out there who don't got nothin' left to do except to survive."

Silence withheld everyone's mouths as they all looked around at each other in contemplation. It seemed that no one was disagreeing, and Rick figured it would be crazy not to go. He laughed suddenly, shocking most everyone as it had been a long time since they had seen him genuinely happy. It wasn't until Judith gurgled did he look down at her and begin to speak.

"What was that?" Rick softly asked Judith as Maggie, Michonne, Sasha and Beth chuckled. "I think she knows what I'm about to say," he said as he looked at Tyreese who was sitting beside him, grinning from ear to ear. Rick then regarded Abraham with a smile of acceptance. "She's in, and if she's in, I'm in. We're in."

Michonne dropped her head back in astonishing relief as Beth and many others applauded and cheered happily with Rick's decision. Abraham smiled widely, feeling much better that he had gotten that off his shoulders. A large group would be far better than just him, Rosita and Eugene. Beth was excited as she knew how desperate they were at needing a break from the harsh conditions of the world outside.

"I'll get started on fixing that bus," Glenn exclaimed as he kissed Maggie on the cheek.

"Alright, thank you Glenn," Rick replied, pleased by Glenn's determination and offer to help.

"Don't mind if I join you?" Bob asked as he brushed his hands across his thighs.

"Sure thing," Glenn nodded with a smile, but then his attention was quickly turned onto the new kid sitting beside Beth. "Uhh Noah , is it?"

Noah shot himself up on his feet suddenly and nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

Glenn smirked slightly as he placed his right hand on his shoulder. "You're gonna come with us. Sound good?"

Noah grinned, thrilled that someone decided to ask for his help. He figured this was a good time to earn their trust within the group. "I'll do all I can to help."

"Come on then," Abraham said as he waved them over toward him and Rosita. "I'll show you where the bus is."

Beth watched the five of them walk through the door and out of the cabin. Right after they left, she turned her head and accidentally caught herself looking over at Daryl. She could see him chewing the inner side of his bottom lip as he so normally did when he was thinking about something. Beth couldn't look at him now without thinking about last night. She hated leaving things unresolved, and she wanted nothing more than to ask him about what it all meant, but she figured it was something that needed to play out on its own.

"We should start lookin' for some supplies before we hit the road," Rick explained to the rest of the group as he passed Judith to Carl, "Hopefully there's a town near here."

"Good idea. I'll join you," Michonne agreed as she grabbed her katana that was sitting on the loveseat beside her.

"I'm comin' too," Daryl said matter-of-factly, straightening himself up off the wall.

"And me," Tara added with a smile.

Rick nodded, pleased with his team and their readiness to get going. "I figure we probably need one more person," he said as he looked at Carl, Maggie, Tyreese, Sasha, Carol and Beth. "Any takers?"

"I'll go," Beth spoke out rather abruptly, beating Carl to the punch; her straight forwardness seemed not one to be messed with. Daryl's ears perked up when he heard her voice, but remained quiet.

Rick cocked his head as he was taken aback by Beth's willingness to go. She didn't normally join any of them on supply runs; in fact he believed that this would be the first time. "Are you sure?"

Daryl took a few steps forward beside Rick as he heard the uncertainty in his tone. He decided to speak for Beth. "You don' have to worry. She's a good fighter."

Rick nodded; satisfied with Daryl's answer as he knew he could trust his judgment. As they prepared to get going, Maggie practically pleaded with Beth to stay with her at the cabin. However, nothing she could say would change her mind. Beth was going, and she certainly did not want to be afraid anymore, or be the girl that always stayed back and looked after Judith. She wanted to show what she was capable of, more now than ever. However, that wasn't the only reason. Beth didn't want to be separated from Daryl as she was so used to doing everything with him and only him. She didn't want to change that now, and the fact that he never argued with her about joining them on the supply run proved that he felt the same way.

"Here, I'll take those," Carol told Daryl as she reached her arms out for the squirrels that laid over his shoulder, "I'll make some lunch with them while you're gone."

Daryl nodded as he passed them to her. "Thanks."

. . .

When they departed the cabin and made their journey down the dirt path, it didn't take long before they reached the others already hard at work fixing the bus that sat idly on the side of the road. Noah and Rosita kept watch as Abraham, Glenn and Bob were keeping busy.

"We're goin' on a supply run," Rick explained as he met Abraham on the side of the road. "Should be back in a few hours at the most. Think it'll give you all enough time to fix that bus?"

Abraham smirked and nodded assertively as he placed his grease soaked hands on his hips. "More than enough time."

"Good, cause we'll be headin' out tomorrow at first light," Rick replied as he fixated his eyes on everyone else. "Stay safe."

When Beth and the others carried onward, words amongst the group were kept at a minimal. Silently searching for any signs of food; could be a town, another cabin or even an old deserted car, anything was viable. It was no surprise when they bumped into a couple of walkers on the way, though they were diligently killed with ease by Michonne's katana and Daryl's crossbow. However, it wasn't long before they bumped into a site that was quite disturbing.

It was a man's body that hung lifelessly from a sturdy tree branch by his wrists tied tightly together, jerking from the handling of a bloody, half decomposed walker that had already eaten most of the man's feet. It snarled as it reached its slow-moving arms up at the soft meat of his calves. Daryl knitted his brow as he studied the scene in front of him. It instantly reminded him of the last man he saw hung up in a tree. Andrea was quite disgusted by it then, but this time he wasn't worried about wasting an arrow.

"This one's mine," Daryl said at last, lifting his crossbow within the silence of his group and shot a bolt right through the walker's skull. As it fell with a thump to the ground, Daryl had readied another bolt for round two, preparing his shot for the man in the tree before he had a chance to turn.

Then suddenly, the man slowly lifted his head and began to speak. Incredibly, he was still alive, attempting the best he could to say a few weak, shuttering last words. Not being able to hold direct eye contact, Daryl figured the man was practically blind and close to death.

"Shoot. Me."

The man's words were wet, pushed out through a throat filled with blood. Beth could hardly imagine the suffering he went through, but by now he probably felt barely any pain.

"I'm sorry," Daryl said after a moment of silence, squeezing his grip on the crossbow before nodding, trying his hardest to revert his eyes from the red, boney feet. After readying his aim, he took no hesitation in pulling down the trigger and the bolt flew, piercing the man's forehead and killing him instantly.

"We should keep movin'. Whoever did this might still be close by," Rick said afterward, his brow furrowed as he scanned the area around them.

Daryl retrieved the one bolt from the walker lying on the ground as the group regained their composure and continued on their way. Beth was walking beside Tara most of the time while Daryl kept a close watch behind them. When Tara finally left her side to talk to Rick and Michonne who were leading the group, he took it as his moment to casually catch up beside the blonde. Though he was excellent at hiding what he was truly feeling, Beth had been constantly on his mind since last night. However, his thoughts were not entirely giddy and positive like most normal people would feel after the event that happened the evening before.

He found himself unable to sleep as the ideas in his mind chewed away deep inside him. Daryl was unsure on how to grasp this complicated situation. He cared about Beth, almost too much in fact. He never experienced this before. He's had women in his life in the past, but it was never serious. This thing he had with Beth however was different and difficult, and he didn't know what to do with it. He couldn't quite grasp why she had an interest in him. She could do so much better than him—she _deserved_ better.

Beth caught Daryl in the corner of her eye and she lost her breath. His sudden presence startled her, but she tried her hardest to play it cool. "Hey Daryl," she started, trying to keep her stare at the road ahead of her.

Daryl gritted his teeth. He hated it when she sounded nonchalant and careless. He figured she must not have been pleased that he had been avoiding her since last night. Looking up, he squinted his eyes from the glare of the sun as he continued to walk casually, thinking of words to say. "You seem t' be gettin' friendly with Noah," he blurted out, a little surprised that that was what he decided to say but figured he should probably just roll with it. "But I guess it makes sense."

"What does THAT mean?" Beth snapped a look at him then, confused and somewhat annoyed by his comment.

Daryl shrugged. "You're both around the same age."

Beth shook her head as she knitted her brow in puzzlement. She knew he was trying to get some kind of answer out of her, but whatever he was investigating for did not exist. "Age has nothin' to do with it. He seemed lonely so I thought I'd talk to him to make him feel more comfortable. Why does it matter anyhow?"

Daryl gave her a side look through his bangs as he grabbed the strap of his crossbow, instantly feeling silly about the way he was acting over something so trivial. "It doesn't. Forget I brought it up."

"What are you two bickering about back there?" Michonne asked as she looked behind her shoulder. A small smirk creased the corner of her lips as she regarded the two of them.

Beth scoffed as she looked ahead at her. Her tone was smothered with irritation. "Nothin' important." She was frustrated that after the closeness they shared between them last night, all Daryl had to talk about was the occurrence of her being nice to Noah.

"It sure doesn't sound like nothing," the cheekiness in Michonne's voice was all but discreet.

"Hey, hold up," Rick interrupted the conversation as he lifted his arm and pointed in a direction through the trees. "I see somethin' over there."

Following Rick's finger, Daryl, Michonne, Beth and Tara peered through the trees simultaneously to see a building painted in white. The place seemed quiet. Beth walked a few steps forward as she took a closer look, and her eyes widened.

"It's a church," she said with surprise as she glanced behind her shoulder at the rest of the group.

Rick made his way over beside Beth and nodded as he placed his hands on his hips. "So it is."

 **Okay, so...I apologize for the angst between Beth and Daryl this chapter, and I thought that Daryl was a little bit out of character by how childish he was acting when it came to Noah. But at the same time I wonder if the story needs the angst and self doubt every now and again? I just loved the review from Juliana Grays in particular, and she definitely had me thinking! Tell me your thoughts if you like. Next chapter will be much better, (and a little crazy) I promise!**


	8. What Doesn't Kill You

**A/N:** Yay! Glad you guys enjoyed last chapter! Hope you all are having a great weekend! Thanks again for the reviews and followers! It means a lot.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The church was the first place they came across since they started out on their supply run. Rick and Daryl were not too optimistic about it, figuring the only thing they would find were bibles and empty benches. Beth, Tara and Michonne however, were interested to find out what was inside. Even if there wasn't any food, they believed they could at least find something that would be beneficial for them.

Daryl was the first to cave in and agree to check it out, leaving Rick as the odd man out. So they snuck soundlessly towards the building with their weapons drawn, prepared for anything that might happen along the way. When they did reach the front doors, Daryl instantly noticed the scratches on the walls outside the church. Without a word he pointed at them just before he raised his crossbow up to his face, aiming around the area in case something popped out.

Gripping her sword tighter, Michonne cautiously sidestepped over beside the door that was left ajar and peeked inside. The windows were boarded up, so the room was left blanketed in darkness. She looked over to the rest of the group and shrugged. It wasn't until she noticed Rick nod at her did she slowly open the door. The hinges creaked loudly with every inch, creating wrinkles of worry in Michonne's face.

Close behind her were Rick, Beth and Tara who were already pointing their guns through the door while Daryl continued to keep watch around the perimeter of the church. Figuring no living person was inside; Rick pursed his lips and blew out a soft, quick whistle to attract any walkers that may be lurking in the building. When no groans or growls replied to the sound, Rick gave the O.K. to go in.

When the five of them entered, there was nothing much worth their time at first glance. However, as they cautiously walked further inside, Tara noticed a bunch of empty tin cans lined up along the back wall.

"Someone's been living here," Tara pointed out as she reached the banister by the podium and scanned the room further.

"Maybe we should go," Beth said right after, feeling a little uncomfortable about the situation.

Rick shook his head as he walked past Tara by a back door. "Not yet, there are still a couple of rooms I want to check out," he replied as he began to call out to anyone that may also be in the church. He decided now that they were there; they might as well scope the place out completely. "Hello! Is anyone here?"

Silence was his only response. Grabbing the doorknob, Rick slowly turned it as he held his gun in his other hand. As soon as the door clicked, he swung it open and quickly aimed his weapon around the room. All it contained was a bed and some shelves filled with books.

"There's nothin'," Rick said as he turned around.

"Maybe not in that room, but there is in this one," Daryl explained as a smirk creased his lips.

Rick narrowed his brow as he walked over to Daryl who stood at the other door. "What's it got?"

Michonne snuck a look before Rick, and she too began to smile. "There's a lot of canned food in here, more than enough to sustain us for at least a couple weeks."

Beth shook her head in disbelief. "We're not gonna take it, are we? I mean…it belongs to someone else."

Rick looked at Beth carefully and reassuringly. "Beth, you've seen our stash. We're running dry. Whoever is living here has been doin' well for themselves. We won't take it all, just enough t'—to get us by for a day or so."

Beth took a deep breath and released a heavy, drawn-out sigh as Daryl regarded her. "This is no differen' between here and the funeral home," he pointed out, speaking softly to her. Their quarrel from earlier was obviously already forgotten about. "You know we need this. Like Rick said, we won't take it all, alright?"

Beth looked down at her feet, knowing he was right and yet still felt guilty with what they were about to do. "It doesn't make it any better, but alright…"

It took them several minutes to gather up all of the food in a couple of bags, and Beth figured they took at least half of it. When Daryl picked up a jar of pigs feet and held it out in front of him, he glanced at her with this impressive side smirk on his face. It was his way of reminiscing about the funeral home while also trying to make her feel better. Beth understood that, and she let out an unexpected chuckle within her breaths, unable to hold it in.

Daryl bit his bottom lip as he looked back down at the jar and placed it in a bag, attempting as best he could not to look at her as he had neglected to remember how much her smile warmed him. The last thing he needed was to get distracted. It weakened him whenever Beth smiled and the way her cheeks shaped when she did, because for that split second it made the whole world feel completely normal. It helped him forget about the hell they lived in every day, but how? He couldn't understand how she influenced him so much. She was that light at the end of the tunnel that he was desperate and yet so scared to reach. Daryl was more accustomed to the darkness, he became comfortable in it. He didn't know how to be if he decided to step out.

Then suddenly, the sound of a door slamming shut made Daryl lose track of his thoughts entirely. Without hesitation, the five of them spun around while wielding their weapons and then exited the room to notice a man wearing a preacher's suit who was standing at the entrance of the church. He was breathing deeply from exhaustion, and the moment he noticed the five strangers across from him on the other side of the room, his eyes widened with more fear than he had when he first entered.

"Who are you people? What are you doing here?" The preacher asked quickly, his back was pressed firmly against the door.

Rick cocked his head with uncertainty, but continued to remain calm. "You left your door open. Who we are is irrelevant."

The preacher shook his head as he looked down at his feet. "You shouldn't be here."

Daryl analyzed the man's demeanor. His body was trembling as he glued himself to the door in certain shock, and a layer of sweat covered the top of his bald head. When Daryl scanned his left hand, he noticed blood trickling off into a pool of blood on the floor.

Shooting his eyes back up to meet the preacher's, Daryl snarled at him with angry suspicion. "What's wrong with you?"

"N—nothing," the preacher stumbled on his words as his face twitched.

Rick cocked his revolver and pointed it again at the man in front of them. "Are you bit?"

The preacher slowly looked up to regard Rick. "I was ambushed. I tried to get away but—" the man held back his next few words and thought for a moment, unsure if he should say the truth but figured there was no point to hide it. "Inevitably yes, I was bit. Are you g—going to shoot me?"

Rick gritted his teeth as he kept his aim on the preacher, but before he could speak, the sudden sounds of fists began banging on the walls from the outside.

"You led them here?!" Rick yelled furiously as he darted glances with his eyes around the room until they met back at the man.

"I didn't know you people would be here!" The preacher shouted back, his eyes filling with water.

"Shit!" Daryl said just before he looked over at Beth, only to find that she had already been looking at him with uneasiness.

Michonne sprinted over to the preacher so that she was only a few feet away, suspecting that there was no reason for the man to be dangerous as he was already on his death bed. "Is there another way out?"

The man glanced around the room for a moment, seeming to have lost his train of thought until he finally looked at Michonne in the eyes. His voice had now carried little to no emotion, almost like he was not really there. "There is a—a hatch on the floor in one of the back rooms. There's a crawl space down below. There's an exit there, I'll show you." As the preacher made his way over to the room with the bed, the others followed right behind him.

"Your food," Beth began, feeling guiltier than before as she and Tara still held the bags of his canned goods in their hands. She unknowingly reached her arms out to give them back to him.

Before the preacher could walk past the threshold, he stopped to face the blonde and looked down at the bag and then her concerned expressions. As upset as he could have been about his food getting stolen, under the circumstances he was in now he didn't even care. "Keep it…I assume I won't have much use for them anymore."

As Beth was unable to say another word due to feeling utterly sorry for him, the preacher turned back to the room and opened the hatch in the floor, instantly forgetting about her and the cans as he explained where exactly the exit was down below. Without hesitation, Michonne crawled in first, followed by Daryl, Beth and Tara. Rick waited, feeling like he had to ask the man something before he could leave.

"Did you want to come with us?" He asked when he regarded the preacher one last time before joining the rest of the group, "Maybe you'd be able to pass away more peacefully."

The man shook his head as he replied weakly, already feeling the infection plaguing his body and mind. "No, I'd only s—slow you all down. I want to stay with…with the church."

Rick nodded in acceptance, knowing that perhaps resting in the chapel would be much more comfortable instead of running. "What's yer name?"

The preacher breathed in deeply before he spoke, feeling an odd sensation hover over him, wondering if there was any point to his name anymore. "Gabrielle."

"I'm Rick," he replied earnestly. "I'm sorry for everythin' that happened to you Father Gabrielle. I thank you for helping us get out…and the food," Rick said sincerely as he placed his hand on the man's shoulder just before he began to enter the crawl space.

"Don't be, it was my time," Gabrielle retorted as he stared at the last living person he would ever see, yet still feeling lost and disoriented.

"Shut this behind me," Rick said, referring to the hatch door.

He took once last look at Gabrielle and nodded a goodbye before ducking under the floor boards, putting his hands and knees on the dirt below. A moment after, he heard the door shut above him. Looking ahead through the darkness, he could see shadowy figures of his group crawling towards a thin light from outside that shined through the wall, greeting them warmly.

When they all crowded around the exit, they listened carefully to hear if there were any stragglers shuffling about the side of the church. Sure enough, a couple of faint moans from unaware walkers hung around close by. Beth's body shook nervously and Daryl noticed this instantly. Taking out his hand, he offered to take her bag of food and she accepted.

"Okay listen up," Rick began, whispering as quietly as he could. "As soon as we push open this wall, we'll have to make a run for it through the trees and back to the road. Kill any walker that gets in your way. We stay together, alright?"

Michonne and the others nodded with confidence and fear while holding their breaths as Rick advanced. With some force, he pushed open the miniature door and light cascaded through the opening. One by one they crawled out into the open, inescapably catching the attention of a few walkers that suddenly snarled from the unexpected presence of fresh meat. They mindlessly changed their direction in a fumbling manner, creeping their way slowly towards their prey with eyes piercing with hunger like a pack of rabid wolves. The deprivation in their gestures was unmistakable.

It was no coincidence that Beth stuck close to Daryl as they began to tread lightly across the grass, zig-zagging their way through the few walkers blocking their path. A couple of the dead were struck down; their brains meeting the cool steel of sharp blades penetrating their tender, rotting flesh. It seemed that their exit plan was working as the remainder of the walkers were still crowding the church doors. However, just as hope began to present itself, a sudden, agonizing scream bellowed behind Beth; Daryl; Rick and Michonne, startling them and causing their hearts to drop.

Spinning around on their heels, Beth and the others witnessed Tara in the arms of a one eyed walker, tearing the flesh and tendons away from her right shoulder. Rick bolted in a fast sprint towards her direction, swinging his arm and aiming his machete right in the walker's temple. He wrapped Tara's arm around his shoulders, helping her move forward throughout the hysteria of what just occurred before more walkers arrived. Blood was all over Tara's arm and also splattered on her neck and jaw.

Before Beth could follow the group who were already on their way, she spotted the bag of canned food in the corner of her eye that Tara was holding but had unavoidably dropped when a pair of rotten teeth sunk deep into her flesh. Beth wasn't going to let it go to waste, especially when she knew their group needed it.

"The food!" Beth called out, making sure the others were aware of what she was about to do in case they moved too far ahead of her.

Daryl turned around to see Beth facing the other direction several feet away. It a matter of a split second, his eyes darted from her to the bag laying on the ground and spotted a couple more walkers inching closer nearby, knowing all too well what she intended on doing. His stomach churned with worry.

"Forget the damn food!" Daryl yelled back frustratingly, but to his dismay she glanced at him over her shoulder with this firm, compelling look of determination. The loose, golden strands of her ponytail tickled her cheek.

Beth turned around afterward, making no hesitation as she darted towards her objective. She could hear Daryl and Michonne scream her name, but she didn't stop. Whether her actions were stupid or not, she felt she had to do this. When she finally reached her hand out for the bag, one of the walkers lunged forward with its arms straight out, just missing her as she was able to side-step around it. Seeing this as her window of opportunity, she quickly stabbed the walker in the back of the head before it had a chance to try again. After turning around to retrieve the bag, the second walker that she had unfortunately forgotten about appeared right in her face, snarling and growling as it grabbed her shoulders.

Before Beth had a chance to counter the attack, the walker was instantly torn off of her by Daryl with Michonne right behind him for back up, causing it to stumble to the ground. Without any thought, he quickly bent forward with his knife in hand and finished it off. Beth stood still, paralyzed with shock as Daryl snatched the food and clutched her wrist, pulling her and passing one of the bags to Michonne as they headed back to the group. With what happened to Tara and the incident with Beth, it certainly caused commotion and unwanted attention from the twenty or so walkers back at the front of the church.

"We gotta move, NOW!" Rick ordered. His voice was deep with utter concern as he spotted the large group of walkers heading their way.

Despite being bitten, Tara was strong and unafraid; understanding what was going to happen to her but also wanted everyone to get back safely. They only ran for a few seconds before she stopped and let go of Rick, no longer wanting to be a liability. Michonne and the others looked at her in puzzlement.

"You don't have to support me," Tara explained while holding the bandana against her wound that Daryl ended up giving her. "Maybe I shouldn't come with you guys. I could distract the walkers and lead them away."

Michonne shook her head. "You're staying with us. There's no need for you to be out here on your own."

"Michonne's right," Rick agreed, anxiously eyeing the walkers that were slowly shambling towards them. "We'll have no problem losin' the herd if we take a longer route back. You may have been bit but you're still one of us. Like I said, we stick together."

Tara nodded sluggishly as she tightened the grip on her arm, wincing from the pain. "Okay."

. . .

The entire trip back Daryl was furious with Beth, but he kept the anger that stewed up inside of him to himself. Detecting this, Beth struggled to exchange a few words with him, but he disregarded her couple attempts to communicate. Daryl had a lot of things he wanted to say, firstly to tell her how reckless and irresponsible she was for her own well-being, especially after what happened to Tara. Beth's life was more important than the food, and they could have found some more elsewhere.

By the time they finally reached the cabin and were rid of the walkers, the sun was already setting further behind the trees as it made its last farewell to the late afternoon. The short bus that Glenn and the others were repairing was now towering in front of the cabin where they could hear voices and faint laughter coming from inside. Rick puffed out a melancholy sigh of relief as exhaustion plunged over him and the others. It had certainly been a long day and they were all in need of a good sleep, particularly Tara who had appeared to be waning in health as the day carried on.

Walking towards the entrance of the cabin with who she thought was the whole group, Beth made a second glance over her shoulder thinking she saw a shadow move past her. Sure enough, she spotted Daryl taking unnecessary strides as he made his way further down the road after quickly handing the bag of food he was carrying to Rick. Beth rolled her eyes and sighed as she stopped in her place, debating on if she should go after him. She despised unresolved problems, and by the time Rick; Tara and Michonne entered the cabin, she finally decided she was going after him.

"Hey, Dixon!" Beth whispered sharply after him when she figured she was close enough for him to hear her. "Chasing after you seems to be a pattern for us lately."

No response.

"Daryl?" She asked more calmly yet still strewed with annoyance as she began walking beside him. "What's wrong?"

When Beth still received no answer, she placed her hand on his arm and he stopped walking immediately. She could now see that his chest was rising and falling a little quicker than usual.

"You almost got bit today," Daryl replied. His voice carried no expression.

"I had to get the food—" Beth began to explain as she tried to look past the dark hair that covered his face, but was quickly interrupted.

"Why?" Daryl snapped his question at her as he shot a look in her direction; his anger was finally evident in his tone. "You didn't need to play hero and grab that bag of food. That shit wasn't worth it!"

"We needed it, have you seen our supplies?" Beth asked with her index finger pointing stiffly towards the cabin, perplexed by his attitude and slightly annoyed that he wasn't more proud of what she did. Thinking back, she knew full well how many times Daryl and other people in their group made risky choices but for good reasons. Why was this any different?

"Don't matter," Daryl replied frustratingly. "Last thing I wanna see is you gettin' yourself bit like Tara—or worse. That's what's goin' to happen if you keep makin' foolish decisions like you did today."

Beth shrugged as she tried to stay calm. "I don't see anythin' foolish about it. You might think it was not worth it but _I_ think it was."

"Whatever," Daryl said as he threw his hands up in the air as a sign of defeat. "I'm goin' out, don't bother followin'."

Beth crossed her arms as she watched the man with the crossbow turn on his heels, carelessly continuing his way down the road. She had a thought to just let him go, but then a sudden spark of stubbornness surged through her. She was not going to let the day end this way.

"Why are you so upset, Daryl?" Beth questioned, her words escaped through her mouth in a joyless tone as he stopped in his tracks but didn't reply. "I mean I get why you were worried, but I'm not your liability. I have a right to choose what I want to risk my life for just like everyone else. You're not my father."

Daryl chewed his bottom lip as he felt her presence just daring him to turn around. He wanted to get mad, he wanted to prove his point, but the more he stood there thinking about what she said, the more he realized how true it was. Beth's now grown up, and she wanted to prove her worth without feeling smothered. He had been coddling her lately; feeling like it was his job to keep her safe. Yet he wondered to himself why that was such a bad thing.

Daryl turned round finally, barely making out Beth's features in the shadows. "You're right, I'm not Hershel. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."

"No!" Beth replied rather abruptly, almost regretting what she just said as his words sounded less angry and more disappointed. "That's not what I meant or what I want. I just don't want you gettin' angry with me over my own life choices…" she paused for a moment, half hoping for a reaction but mostly just figuring out what to say next. "Besides…I'd miss your company if you left me alone."

Daryl felt his lip tug, and he was thankful the darkness had concealed it. He adored what she said, not only because it was from Beth, but because he never really heard anyone genuinely say they would miss him. "I guess that's why I've been so protective."

Beth knitted her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Daryl shrugged, feeling like he should bite his tongue. However, the silence between them grew and so did her patience. "You were right…about what you said at the cabin that we burned down."

Beth's mind raced around as she thought back about their conversations, until she finally realized what he was getting at. "That you'd—that you'd miss me when I was gone?" Beth could barely say the sentence right as she stuttered with her words.

"Mmh," Daryl made a sound under his breath as if to agree, but a surge of anxiety flowed through him. He'd much rather be facing a heard of walkers right now than spilling out his inner thoughts, but the blonde had a way of getting it out of him.

Beth paused for a moment, thinking back on something she learned a few years ago that had somehow stayed with her in her memory. "In French, you don't really say 'I miss you.' You say 'tu me manques,' which is closer to 'you are missing from me.'"

Daryl cocked his head as he listened, unsure about what she was going to explain.

"I love that," Beth continued and repeated as she looked down to her feet, "' _You are missing from me_.' It's like saying you are a part of me, you are essential to my being. You are like a limb, or an organ, or blood; I cannot function without you." She looked up at Daryl and he was staring right back. Her heart fluttered. "I would miss you too Daryl...if you were gone."

Daryl gulped and then cleared his throat, finding a loss for words. He fidgeted with his crossbow that hung over his back as he would so often do. He wondered if Beth was subtly trying to tell him that he was all of those things to her. If that was the case, Daryl could relate to what Beth had said, as he was feeling closer to her as each day passed. The closer he got, the more he felt he needed to protect her. It couldn't be helped as he was only going by instinct. Daryl might not be Beth's father, but he certainly was something more than Rick or the others, excluding Maggie of course. That 'something' terrified him, but also gave him hope and strength—and something greater to fight for.

Beth didn't really know what to say next, but what she noticed was the fluttering feeling in her chest. She decided not to question him any further as she felt it was perfect to end the conversation right where it was—before Daryl got too uncomfortable. She instantly regretted the ideas she had in her head the night before. The thought of kissing him was not outrageous or a momentary lapse in judgement. Beth didn't care about their age difference, or the fact that they were two completely different people. She didn't doubt the elation that soared inside her. Beth found herself falling for the redneck and his stubbornness, and she was completely O.K with that.

"Come on," Beth said as she turned to her side, her braid slid off of her shoulder. "Let's go back to the cabin."

Daryl took a few steps towards her, relieved that she didn't question him further. "I'll walk you back, but I'm gonna stay out for a bit longer."

Beth smiled weakly as he finally walked up beside her. "Deal."


	9. Hillsborough

**A/N:** Hello all! Here is chapter 9! I am hoping some of you don't hate me because of last chapter. Deaths are going to be a part of my story as well, though I'm still deciding on how often that will be. My main focus though is of course Beth and Daryl and their relationship that is slowly blooming. I'd like to thank those who have been patient thus far, as I never liked the idea of rushing into such a powerful romance between two characters that I love. Future chapters will be well worth the wait! On a side note, I made a music video of Beth and Daryl yesterday and uploaded it to YouTube in case anyone wanted to see it. I can't post the link on here unfortunately, but just search "Beth and Daryl Stand By You" and it should be the first one on the list. You'll know it's the right one because it'll say it was posted by Brandie. Thanks!

CHAPTER NINE

Hillsborough

Beth and the rest of the group awoke early in the morning to the sound of rain pounding heavily on the roof of the old cabin. It appeared that the autumn weather had finally arrived. Sasha and Bob were awake but sluggish after having taken the early morning shift of keeping watch while Glenn stayed up parts of the night keeping Tara, who was appearing worse as each hour past, company so she was not alone. He felt she was his responsibility considering that the two of them had been through a lot together for such a short period of time. Maggie had been completely sympathetic with the whole situation.

Once they were all fully conscious, Rick wasted no time organizing everyone and preparing to leave for Washington. Everybody worked diligently as they loaded all of the food and supplies into the bus. Abraham, who was carefully scanning a road map with Eugene, announced that the drive to DC from their location east of Athens, GA; would take roughly 9 hours. That was not including any of the stops they would undoubtedly make on the way.

Beth thought quietly to herself as Abraham spoke, realizing that this would be the first time she ever left Georgia and it would most likely be permanent. Seeing as her family lived and worked hard on the farm, they never had time for vacations or extravagant trips. Not that this trip was extravagant, but the idea made her enthusiastic and also melancholy all at the same time. No one seemed all too thrilled about the 9 hour drive, especially as they didn't have enough gas for the entire trip, but the idea that Eugene knew the cure to the ever growing infection made it much more worth it. Of course, there was the added bonus that DC was _hopefully_ a refuge for them all. After Terminus, Beth learned not to get her hopes up.

Once everything was packed up and everyone was ready to go, Rick made a quick head count as the group climbed into the bus. Tara argued with Glenn about not joining them on the beginning of their journey as she believed it would be easier if she stayed behind, but he was eventually able to persuade her in coming along; as it should be.

Beth was one of the first to enter the bus, and she quickly selected a seat close to the rear as she enjoyed watching the scenery through the back window. Then suddenly, she felt someone plunk down beside her and she glanced over to see who it was. Beth had hoped it was Daryl, but it disappointedly turned out to be Noah. She couldn't blame him as Beth was the only one out of the group to actually notice him besides maybe Glenn who had already taken a seat beside Maggie, and Abraham who took the wheel of the bus.

Beth gave Noah a weak smile as they caught each other's eyes just before taking a glimpse at the few seats a head of her to the right. Past Bob and Sasha sat Daryl who ended up sitting down beside Carol. He happened to already be giving Beth a side glance, and it was obvious by the look on his face that he was not pleased about Noah getting to her first. All Beth could give in response was a shrug.

"I hope you don't mind?" Noah asked as the engine from the bus roared to life.

"No, not at all," Beth answered considerately, wondering if perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to have a fresh face to converse with. Looking back at Daryl, she noticed he was now engaged in a conversation with Carl and Michonne, who both seemed to be chuckling at something that Rick had said.

Beth sighed. This was going to be a long drive.

. . .

During their journey on the road, the blonde had learned from Noah that before Terminus, he came from Grady Memorial Hospital located in Atlanta which became occupied by numerous members of the law enforcement. He was covered in napalm burns when they found him and took him in, but murdered his father when they decided he would not be a good asset to their team. They cured Noah, but in return he had to work off his debt for the resources invested in keeping him alive at the hospital. He eventually escaped which proved to be strenuous on him, and ultimately met up with the people at Terminus. Beth was completely appalled, but happy that he was now finally with people he could trust. She also shared some stories with him about the prison, but when it came to talking about her father, she just couldn't utter the words.

The group had been on the road for about five hours until they reached Hillsborough, North Carolina; with a gas tank that was now close to empty. Abraham exhaled frustratingly as he slid his fingers through the red waves of his hair, right after parking the bus on the side of the road outside of town. It was around 12:30 in the afternoon, and the rain had tapered off into a light sprinkle.

"We're low on fuel," Abraham announced matter-of-factly as he looked over his shoulder to glance at everyone behind him. "I say we enter Hillsborough and look for some gas to liven this bastard up. Maybe we should look for some medical supplies too, just in case."

"I agree," Ricked piped up. "We should take a group and scout out the area."

"And if we don't find any?" Maggie questioned with a flicker of unmistakable worry in her tone, wondering if there was a plan B.

Abraham shrugged as he stood up on his feet. "Then we'll search the next town. I made sure we had enough gas to take us a little farther in case we don't get lucky."

Beth felt anxious as she drummed her fingers against her thigh, knowing full well that she was going to join said group into the town no matter what station she was given. Whether that reason is because she knew Daryl would certainly be going or because she just needed to stretch her legs, it didn't matter; her mind was made up.

"We need some people to stay on the bus to take care of Judith and Tara, and watch over the supplies," Rick proceeded to explain as he, too, stood up beside Abraham. Without overthinking too much about it, he began creating the two groups. "Carol, Michonne, Noah, Sasha, Bob, Daryl and Abraham will come with me and look for fuel; the rest will stay here. Is everyone else okay with that?"

Beth was the only one who stood in protest, and if it wasn't for Judith she figured Carl would have too. "I'm going," she argued, not about to tolerate a no for an answer.

Heads turned to the back of the bus, and Maggie frowned. She didn't know why her younger sister suddenly wanted to start going out on dangerous missions, and she didn't like it. However, Beth was old enough to decide on her own, and Maggie knew that she wouldn't listen to any of her objections. As much as she wanted to stick with Glenn and take care of Tara, she decided that this time she would come along and watch over her sister, especially after learning about Beth risking her life for a bag of food.

"If my sister is goin', so am I," Maggie countered as her eye's locked with Beth's.

"Alright, I won't protest," Rick replied with an amused smile, although after what Beth pulled on their last trip, he would have preferred it if she stayed on the bus for her own safety.

"Rosita, you stay here and make sure Eugene stays unharmed," Abraham instructed, and she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Why do you have to be so useless when it comes to protecting yourself?" Rosita crossed her arms as she glared at Eugene. The tone in her voice was stricken with disappointment and aggravation.

Eugene shrugged as he eyed her back with a vacant expression, hardly offended by her remark. "It's not my job. My job it is to make—"

"Alright, enough!" Abraham blurted out in annoyance, stopping the argument that was beginning to transpire. "Let's head out before I lose any more of my patience."

As Rick's group began making their way towards the door after saying their goodbyes, Tara stopped them at the front seat where she sat. "Hey, I want fist pumps." Her voice was fragile but she unsteadily raised her forearm with her fist clenched, and a slight smile creased her lips.

One by one, the group obliged with smiles in return, and their knuckles lightly pounded hers as they walked down the steps. Beth wondered if this was her last farewell, and she had the sudden urge to give Tara a hug, but everyone was moving too quickly for her and before she knew it, she was outside. Beth had to get the image of Tara out of her mind so she could properly concentrate on their mission, so she forced herself to forget; at least for the time being. They figured they'd be out for a while—unless by some sheer luck they happened to find gasoline almost instantly—so they made sure to grab some water as well as a crowbar, some tubing and a gas can to siphon the fuel from an abandoned car.

They began cautiously walking down the road with their weapons drawn. Maggie made a point to stay by Beth's side, and she knew why. Though she wanted to prove her worth to the group, she knew she couldn't blame her older sister for being over protected. Besides, having Maggie by her side gave her a sense of comfort. Sasha, Bob, Carol and Noah kept a few paces behind Beth and Maggie, while Daryl led the group beside Michonne, Rick and Abraham several feet ahead.

"I know why you decided to come along," Beth blurted out, but low enough so only she could hear.

Maggie glanced at the blonde, uncertain about how her sister would react. "Was I that obvious?"

"I appreciate you worryin' for me, but I want you t'know that I've grown up since the prison. I'm not the same Beth you used to know," she explained sternly, hoping her older sister would understand.

Maggie parted her lips with a sigh, "I wondered that, seeing as you were alone with Daryl for so long. You are my family though, so it's only normal to be concerned."

"I know, and I thank you for that. I guess I'm just tryin' to find my own way and I've been having mixed feelings about a lot of things," Beth replied as she watched Daryl walking casually ahead of them.

"Well," Maggie said with a smile as she wrapped her arm around Beth's shoulders. "You know I'm here if you ever need to talk."

Beth looked up at her sister and smirked admiringly while placing her left arm around the middle of Maggie's back. "Thanks sis."

"We're almost there," Abraham proclaimed behind his shoulder, catching the rest of the groups attention.

Trees surrounded both sides of them, but in the distance Beth could see a couple buildings poking through the tops of the branches to their left. They reached a short bridge that sat lonesome atop a creek, and the very moment they made it to the other side, a walker fumbled out of the treeline. It instantly began snarling at the display of meat in front of it, and it headed straight towards them.

"I got it," Daryl declared as he didn't hesitate to unsheathe his blade.

The walker immediately sought to grab the brunette's chest, but Daryl was too swift for it. He darted away from its grab and side-stepped behind the walker before piercing the back of its skull. Its arms limped to its sides and tumbled to the ground when its knees gave in. When he turned around, Daryl's eyes instantly fell to Beth. He thought about the conversation they had last night as he could not seem to shake it out of his head all morning.

It bothered Daryl that Beth didn't make an attempt to pay much attention to him throughout the day, but it annoyed him even more that it affected him in the way that it had. Even though he wanted the space from her, Daryl did not expect her to actually keep her distance, especially in the company of this new Noah character. Usually she would have confronted him by now or at least say something that would lessen the space between them. As much as he tried to avoid it, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

Thinking about it, he realized how trivial it was despite the fact that Noah seemed to be attracted to the blonde. Delving into a darker part of his mind, he wondered if perhaps the kid was better suited for her since their age matched perfectly. Going on this trip to find gasoline and medical supplies was his best bet at avoiding any more emotions for the next while, as fidgeting on the bus for so many hours played tricks on his mind. It didn't help that Beth decided to tag along with them. Daryl revelled in doing the dirty work if it meant taking his irrational thoughts off of her.

When they finally entered Hillsborough, it appeared to be a quaint small town, or at least it used to be. Its architecture seemed to be a couple centuries old as various buildings were made purely of brick, and Beth could only imagine how beautiful it was when it was kept up. The colorful scarlet leaves of autumn brightened up the dank and grey surroundings of the town. She visualized Hillsborough to have been dynamic, filled with laughs and live music in the streets. It was definitely the sort of town that would organize festivals or farm markets during the summer, welcoming all sorts of travellers. However, all of that imagery was quickly destroyed by the walkers that rambled senselessly around town, and Hillsborough unraveled back into its uprooted self; gradually taken over by nature and the dead.

There were quite a few walkers scattered along the main road which was covered in cracks and weeds, and the group would have to make quick work of them before they could search the perimeter properly. Rick figured that their best bet would be to disperse and take down the dead silently but swiftly in case any more showed up and the road got too crowded.

In a matter of seconds, the group spilt up and rushed to their objectives. Daryl used his crossbow, preferring to exterminate from afar and took down several walkers near the fire department across the street. Rick used his hatchet, hacking the skulls and virtually splitting them in two as thick, dark blood spewed from their brains. With her katana in hand, Michonne meandered around a few walkers, slicing their heads off one by one as she sprinted past them. She made killing walkers look too easy.

Beth took out her stainless steel Browning hunting knife from the leather holster that she obtained from Daryl a while back. Though the others in the group saw these walkers as a hindrance, Beth took this as her chance to shine. Daryl taught her a lot when they travelled alone together, and so she wanted to put that into good use. With a quick glance, she spotted a lone walker not too far away, so she darted over to it without hesitation. She took it down swiftly; right in the temple as it was the easiest part of the head to slice through before charging to the next one, and then the one after that.

In the distance, Beth spotted another walking gradually shuffling its way towards Daryl who was completely oblivious to it. It must have come from around the back of the Courthouse, but the redneck was too busy aiming at the walkers in front of him and not paying attention to the danger that lurked from behind. Beth's heart instantly raced violently as her feet moved forward before she could even think.

"Daryl!" She yelled fearfully as she practically leapt on the walker which nearly bit his neck.

Daryl spun around, startled by the blonde's shriek when she called out his name. Terror instantly clouded all other emotions as he witnessed Beth hit the ground with a walker snarling beneath her. He was ready to grab the thing by its shoulders and wrench it off of her, but what looked to be a struggle turned out to be a victory as the blonde pierced the walker on the top of its head. Maggie had already bolted to Beth's side, wide eyed and alert.

"Phew," The blonde exclaimed within her heavy breathing as she shoved the body off of her, and Daryl took out his hand to help her up.

As she stood and rubbed the mud off of her jeans, she glimpsed around quickly to notice that she had caught everyone's attention after they had finished slaying all of the walkers. At first they appeared concerned, but then all started laughing cheerfully once Daryl pulled Beth into a playful hug. Beth began chuckling as the redneck lifted her off the ground and spun her around.

"Put me down!" Beth breathed, finding it difficult to speak through the exhilaration of practically saving his life, and the fact that the air waves in her lungs were getting pressured between his body and his arms.

Once Daryl settled her feet back to the ground, he spoke with a smirk creasing his lips. "Thanks for watching my back, Beth."

Beth grinned widely at his remark as Sasha gave her a gentle pat on the back. Rick smiled as he stationed his hands on his hips, realizing that he underestimated her capabilities. To him Beth was always the caregiver of the group; someone who constantly stayed behind and watched over Judith or the camp. However, he now saw that she was much more than that. Beth was a fighter; one that wasn't afraid of getting dirty if it came down to it.

Abraham seemed mildly amused as he didn't quite understand the merit of the situation, and was eager to start looking for gasoline and supplies. "Alright ladies and gents, let's get a move on," the red head proclaimed, not aiming to be rude but still exhibited his impatience in the tone of his voice.

Moments later, the group gathered their composure as they began their search for fuel. Along the way, they found a pharmacy that had unfortunately been ransacked. The place was a mess with shelves that had been toppled over, and the random products that remained were scattered on the floor. Bob was able to find a couple of bottles of pain medications, Band-Aids and even snuck a box of condoms—almost. Abraham happened to catch a glimpse of him grabbing it and teased him long enough until Sasha began enquiring them about what was going on. It even initiated curiosity out of Beth and Michonne, but it was apparent that they weren't going to disclose what they were talking about.

After leaving the pharmacy, they checked quite a few more vehicles that turned out to be empty, but eventually found a Ford pick-up with almost a full tank. Beth, Maggie and Noah shared some water together as Daryl and Abraham siphoned the fuel into a gas can. Carol was scanning the area a few feet away from the rest of the group, watching for any walkers that might come too close. However, what she didn't expect was the sight of a man and a woman running along the wall of a church and then out of sight behind a historical museum.

"There are people over there!" Carol uttered harshly to the group, not wanting to put too much attention onto them so yelled in a quieter tone. Everyone stopped what they were doing to draw out their weapons from the sudden, ominous danger that lurked in the town.

"How many?" Was Rick's first question, his voice was deep and angered as he aimed his Colt Python around the vicinity.

"I just saw two," Carol replied, not taking her eyes off of the museum in case she happened to see movement. However, there were just too many trees blocking her view.

"Did they see us?" Rick interrogated further with more impatience then before.

Carol shrugged, not quite remembering. "We're a big group standing in the middle of the road. I'd say they would have to be pretty blind if they didn't notice us."

"There could be more," Michonne warned as she cautiously walked to Carol's side, followed by Rick and the others. "Should we follow them?"

"Those pricks could ambush us at any moment. I say we follow em," Abraham said as his eyes glistened with enthusiasm and bloodlust, and Rick nodded in agreement.

Beth would have preferred to just grab the can of gas and vacate the area, but her fellow group members seemed to have different ideas. The first thought that came to her mind was that it was a ruse, a lure to get her and the others to follow them into a trap. However, she had to remind herself that even though they have had a lot of run-ins with corrupted people; it didn't mean that everyone was bad. Besides, if these strangers had happened to be ruthless and cruel, the last thing they should be doing is leading them to the bus. Beth couldn't blame Rick for agreeing with Abraham's idea in order to keep his children safe.

"Come on," she heard Daryl whisper to her supportively as he lightly touched the middle of her back to push her along. Of course, the blonde readily obliged.

They moved quickly in the direction of the man and woman, watching all sides of them warily in case anything else jumped out. They moved north of the museum but eventually caught sight of the duo once again, sprinting across the road towards a car garage. They knew they were being pursued, and Beth noticed a worried look on the woman's face as she glanced behind her shoulders in their direction, hand-in-hand with the man leading the way. It was then that the blonde realized these people were not a threat.

Then after a couple minutes of chasing and Beth's group reaching closer to the duo, they fell upon a dead end in an ally way, and the two abruptly stopped in exhaustion, admitting defeat. "Please, please don't harm us," the man pleaded as he placed the woman behind him. "We're just trying to find our daughter."

Rick and the others halted several feet away, their weapons still drawn in defense mode. The couple looked to be in their early 50's as grey ribbons were strewn amongst the brown strands of their hair. Streams of wrinkles marked the bottom of their eyes and around their apprehensive frowns as they clutched on to each other. It was evident that these people were not prepared to deal with Beth's group, or any group for that matter.

Rick slowly put down his weapon, as he too saw the innocence in their eyes. "My name is Rick," he introduced himself and the others, and then waited for their names to be shared.

The man hesitated for a moment, seeming to be uncomfortable even with the weapons being put away, but proceeded to finish the introduction. "I'm Greg, and this is Hannah."

Beth took a few steps forward beside Rick with her sister in toe, hoping that her face would be a lot less intimidating for them. "You said you were lookin' for your daughter?"

Hannah nodded as she slowly let go of Greg. "She left on a supply run several weeks ago with a few others…but never returned. My husband and I decided to leave Washington and search all the major towns, but we're so far out now that we're starting to lose hope. We lost two others that wanted to help." The woman's eyes began watering up with tears as she explained their situation with a trembling voice.

"You live in Washington?" Abraham asked as his face lit up with anticipation.

"Well, not quite. We live somewhere near there though. Washington was just to give you an idea of how far we've come," Greg clarified as the tone in his voice was less anxious than before.

"We're sorry about your daughter," Carol said in a soft, empathetic tone. "But could you tell us about DC? We're lookin' to find refuge there."

Both Hannah and Greg glanced at each other in a way that they knew what the other was thinking, and by the looks on their faces, they were going to give bad news.

"DC has long since been overrun by the dead…" Greg replied gloomily as he shook his head. "You won't find refuge there."

"You have to be mistaken!" Abraham bellowed out angrily, suspecting that the man might be lying. Instantly, all of his hopes began to crumble.

Greg lifted up his hands, hoping that the gesture would calm the red head down and urge him to back off. "I'm sorry, but I'm not mistaken. DC is gone."

Abraham spun on his heels and walked a few feet away until finally stopping in the middle of the street. He glared up into the grey sky, groaning in disappointment and looking as though he were going to blow up at any moment. The others lowered their heads, wondering what to do next or even if they should believe Greg. However, Beth knew it to be true. In fact she expected it, and by the look on Daryl's face it seemed as though he predicted it too.

Hannah observed the group curiously as remorse struck her, hating to be the bearer of bad news. It was evident by their expressions, especially the tall man with red hair, that they had high hopes for DC and understood all too well what these people were feeling. She decided she had to speak up.

"I'm sorry about DC, truly I am," the woman began, and everyone's attention fell to her. "If you like, my husband and I can give you the name of our home; where we came from."

Greg shot his wife an anxious glare, "Are you sure you want to do that? We don't know these people."

"Please…" Sasha implored, not waiting to see what her fellow companions thought. "We're tired of always being on the move. All we've had is bad luck."

Greg glanced at Sasha, then at the others and eventually to Rick. Drawing out a sigh, he looked back at his wife. "Alright, go ahead."

Hannah turned back towards Beth's group and took a deep breath before she spoke. "I need you all to promise that you won't harm this place. The people who live there are good people, most of them haven't even experienced life outside the walls."

Rick nodded slowly, seeming skeptical about the whole idea but decided to go along with it for the time being. "We promise. We aren't the kind of people who just destroy. We're just tryin' to survive, just like you."

Hannah let out a weary smile, hoping that her intuition to trust them would not fail her.


	10. Silver Linings

**A/N:** Once again I would like to thank all of those who have favorited and reviewed my story! A few more lines from the show in this one. I would like to point out a review I received from Hasick about my story not being identical to the show. Thank you for that! I'm trying my best to change parts of it, but still keeping some things the same as well. I want you all to know that I am not going to keep carrying on the shows plot (which leads to the Wolves and eventually the Saviors and Negan). I mainly just wanted the group to get to Alexandria, and then make up my own plot from there. Any ideas on an Antagonist that hasn't been used from the show yet?! I'll think of something! Much love.

CHAPTER TEN

Silver Linings

 _Alexandria, Alexandria, Alexandria._ That was the name of the place Hannah had given to them, and like a broken record, the name repeatedly whispered in Beth's thoughts. They had given her and the others a vague description of the community, but what stuck in her mind most was that Alexandria was protected by a 15-foot-high wall made of solid steel that surrounded its entire perimeter. It sounded safe enough and very impressive, but what about the people inside? What if Hannah and Greg had given them more false hope? Those were the questions that were unavoidably asked among the group. Rick decided to make it a vote once they made it back to the bus on whether or not they would venture to Alexandria.

Greg had drawn a line on their map, giving them the best route to their neighborhood. It was still approximately another four hours' drive to get there. Michonne had asked them if they would like to lead the way, but the couple wanted to keep looking for their daughter a little while longer. This would prove to make entering Alexandria a little more difficult, but Greg offered the idea of using his and his wife's names when they reached the gate. Beth knew that Hannah took a big risk sending them to their home, and it was a risk she would eventually thank her for later if they ever crossed paths again. Before departing, they gave some water to the couple and wished them the best in finding their daughter.

Daryl kept his pace equal to Beth's as they walked side by side on the way back to the bus. It had been well over two hours since they left to search for gasoline, and everyone was eager to get back on the road. They exchanged very little words between each other as Beth looked onward down the street, until eventually she saw the bus up ahead. She noticed several figures outside the vehicle, and realized that something was wrong.

"Everythin' alright?" Beth asked Glenn, but her voice darkened when she spotted a body lying flat on its back on the side of the road with Rosita sitting beside it. It was Tara. "Is she…gone?"

Carl walked off the bus when he heard her voice, and the blonde figured that Judith must have been sleeping inside.

Maggie rushed to her husband's side who nodded slowly. "She passed away just only a half an hour ago…I had to…" Glenn's voice trailed off as his wife gripped him into a hug.

Beth noticed the knife wound on the side of Tara's head, and knew that her brother-in-law must have done the deed. Not too far from her body, Eugene was digging a grave with a shovel that was gripped tightly in his hands which they happened to bring with them from the cabin for this very predicament. Tyreese was at his side, and by the dirt stains on his clothes it was evident that they had been taking turns. Although Beth didn't have much time to get to know Tara, from what the blonde observed she knew she was kind and strong-willed.

Abraham rushed over to Eugene in a vigorous manner, with a look that was certainly unimpressed. "What the fuck are you doin' out here? It's not safe outside the bus when I don't have my eye on you!"

Eugene stopped his digging and glanced up at the large man. It was visible then that he had tears rolling down his cheeks and his eyes were swollen from crying. "I felt compelled as the one accountable to dig her grave."

Abraham stood dumbfounded; though bore a pang of empathy for his companion.

"We have somethin' to tell you all," Rick announced, deciding it was now time to explain the news about DC to Carl, Glenn, Tyreese, Eugene and Rosita who stayed by the bus as they foraged through Hillsborough. "We met a couple in the town claiming that DC has been overrun and is no longer secure."

"What?!" Rosita blurted out, being the only one who expressed her disappointment in words. "That can't be true!"

"Evidently, it is," Maggie replied calmly. "But they gave us good news, too."

Rosita knitted her brow as she jutted out her jaw in disbelief, still not convinced. "So you're just going by their word?"

"Yeah, we are," Daryl retorted hoarsely and then glanced at Beth. "They seemed like decent people."

"So what's the good news?" Glenn asked curiously as he put his arm around Maggie's waist.

Rick cleared his throat. "I'm still deciding on whether or not it's good news, but the couple revealed a community to us named Alexandria and we are more than welcome to go there. They said the place is safely protected by a 15-foot-wall, with its own solar grid, cisterns and sewage filtrations. That means hot showers, electricity and housing to keep us sheltered."

"That sounds great!" Carl cheered with enthusiasm, and the others grinned widely.

Rick shook his head. "Almost too great," he said as he took glances around the whole group. "We need to make a decision on whether or not we should go. I'm not sure that we should," Rick explained, the distrust in his voice was unmistakable.

"What do you mean? Why shouldn't we go?" Carl demanded an answer as he stood before his father; a frown had now formed on his face.

Michonne didn't understand Rick. He was more than willing to go to DC in order to protect his children, but now he was paranoid about Alexandria. She had enough. "If they were lying or if they wanted to hurt us…they would have done it right there and ambushed us. They wouldn't send us to their home…where they live," Michonne argued as her piercing eyes darted around the group. "We need this. So we're going, all of us." Silence followed as a few people nodded in agreement, including Beth. Michonne huffed in frustration, and spoke a little faster. "Somebody say something if they feel differently."

"I don't know, man," Daryl looked over to Rick as he muttered under his breath. "It's shitty havin' to always be on the move."

"Yeah," Rick sighed and nodded, admitting defeat as he was seemingly outnumbered. "We're going."

"After Tara's death and the news of DC, there is somethin' I need to confess to y'all," Eugene said through his sobs and cleared his throat. Everyone fell silent as the whole group stilled to listen. Curiosity enveloped inside them all. His next words were shaking with guilt and apprehension. "I lied. I'm…I'm not a scientist. I don't know how to stop it. I'm not a scientist…" He passed the shovel to Tyreese who willingly took it from him.

Everyone stared at him in fury, disappointment, but most of all confusion as he exposed his lie to the group. Their knitted brows stared heavily onto his face. A forceful silence crippled Eugene as he fumbled a couple steps back. He drew a few deep breaths as his eyes darted around everyone, not expecting what was to come next.

"You are a scientist; I've seen the things you can do!" Rosita objected, not wanting to believe the man with the mullet.

"I just know things."

Glenn took a few steps forward, his eyes never leaving Eugene as he spoke with bewilderment. "You just… _know_ things?"

"I know I'm smarter than most people. I know I'm a very good liar and I needed to get to DC."

"Why?" Tyreese asked, mystified.

Eugene glimpsed over at him before eyeing the rest of the group. "Because I do believe that location holds the strongest possibility for survival, and I wanted to survive. If I could get some people into taking me there, I will. I just reasoned that I'd be doing them a solid too considering the state of Huston and the state of everythin'."

Abraham, who could hardly believe everything Eugene just said, slowly fell to his knees just as Rosita began to speak once again. "People died trying to get you there."

"I'm aware of that," he replied as he started to give out names of all the fallen people who Beth and everyone else from her group did not recognize. "Y'see, I lost my nerve as we drew closer. I'm a coward. But again, I am smarter than you," he continued as he looked at Abraham, though the red head had finally heard enough. "You may want to leave me here, but—"Abraham jumped off the ground, wasting no time at throwing his fist directly in Eugene's face and interrupting his sentence, and then pounded him a second time until the brunette's back hit the bus for good measure.

"Hey!" Rick yelled, darting over to Abraham with Daryl at his side. "Get off of him!" Both men grabbed the large man's shoulders to pry him off of Eugene just as he got one last punch in.

The back of Eugene's head hit the bus from the blow and he stiffened as he fell to the ground like a wooden board. A faint crushing sound was heard as his face met the cement. Abraham wanted to continue beating him to a pulp, but Rosita blocked his path and her hand was on her holster. She knew the red head all too well. Abraham raised his hand in front of his face as he glowered at the blood that covered it, breathing heavily as he did.

The group watched Abraham walk off down the street in silence before stopping and kneeling down in the middle of the road. Beth knew that two amounts of bad news were too much for the man, and he blew up out of anger. She rushed over to Eugene and attempted to turn him over, but it was no use; he was too heavy for her. Seeing this, Daryl crouched over beside her to help as this time they effortlessly completed the task, revealing Eugene's battered and bloody face. He had been knocked out, but they knew he would eventually come to. Fortunately he had nothing broken.

. . .

The next couple hours involved how to get Abraham out of his dream-like state and preparing a burial for Tara. After they finally finished digging her grave and Eugene had come to, they each shared a few words for their fallen companion. Though most never had the chance to get to know Tara in the short time she was with them, they still hoped all the best for her in the next life—if there was one. During the funeral, Glenn revealed one of her last few words spoken to him, and it was something that he thought should be applied to all of them—something that should not be forgotten: _"I know it sucks, and it's scary. But it's time to be brave."_ Beth knew that to be very true.

The bitter evening had finally arrived and everyone appeared to be exhausted, so Rick decided it was best to make camp and depart in the morning. Glenn and Tyreese built a campfire for the group to keep warm while they shared some cans of fruit and baked beans for dinner. Beth was never very enthusiastic with beans, but tonight they were more appetizing than she had anticipated.

Daryl eventually sat down beside Beth after everyone finished eating their share of food. Previously, he had been talking to Rick—most likely about their plans for tomorrow, and now found his way to her. Beth observed him curiously as he watched the flames licking the night air. The bags under his eyes exposed the truth about how drained he was. Beth wondered how much sleep he had in the past few days. Not a lot, most likely.

"No one teach you that it's rude to stare?" Daryl asked suddenly, though never taking his eyes away from the fire.

Beth smiled as she looked away quickly; startled that he had caught her and her cheeks began to blush. "I was just thinkin' about how tired you looked." The tone in her voice was teasing.

"Humph," Daryl puffed air out of his mouth in displeasure at her facetious remark. Silence grew between them for several moments as the redneck shifted in his spot. "I'm proud of you today."

Beth turned to look at him, and her eyebrow rose. "You mean for savin' your life?"

"I mean for everythin'," Daryl finally took his eyes off of the fire and twisted his head to look at the features on Beth's face. "You're startin' to become a very skilful fighter."

"Startin'?" Beth mocked playfully. "I have been for a while now."

Daryl smiled at her retort, amused by her overconfidence. "Hmm, someone's cocky." He took a sip of water from his canteen, and then offered it to Beth. She took it gratefully.

"I think I've just been hangin' around someone for too long and it's startin' to rub off on me," Beth laughed and nearly choked on the water she swallowed. Daryl reacted with a chuckle.

Maggie, who was cuddling up beside Glenn across the other side of the fire, happened to hear her sister giggling. Through the flicker of the flames she could see Beth and Daryl sitting beside one another and took note of his hand gestures as he spoke. He was obviously explaining something to her sister, and whatever it was made her and the redneck laugh quietly to each other. She noticed the admiring expression on Beth's face as she gazed up at Daryl, and Maggie knew that look all too well.

"Glenn," The brunette lightly elbowed her husband in the arm just as he had begun to dose off.

"Mhm?" He mumbled wearily as he slowly opened his eyes, entering back into reality.

"Look over at Beth and Daryl," Maggie's whispers were sharp and direct.

Glenn's eyes were now completely open, realizing his wife appeared bothered by something. Looking over, he saw nothing out of the ordinary and he knitted his brow in confusion. "What about them?"

"I think—" Maggie began to explain, but faltered for a moment as she wondered how absurd her next sentence would be. "I think Beth might have a thing for Daryl."

Glenn shot a skeptical glance at his sister-in-law again, hoping he might see something that would make Maggie's accusation valid. Still, nothing seemed unusual about the two. "Really? How can you tell?"

"By the way she looks at him. How can you _not_ tell?" Maggie asked in a flustered tone.

Glenn studied Beth a little more closely, and he smirked before looking back at his wife, attempting to hold back a chuckle. "You know, now that you mention it, you gave me those same looks when we first started dating."

Maggie's eyes widened abruptly as horror struck her face like she had just seen a ghost. "You don't think they're dating, do you?"

Glenn shrugged, but had to laugh at the thought of Daryl going on dates. "If they are, so what?"

Maggie scoffed at how nonchalant her husband was to the predicament. "So what?!" She shrieked, startling Carl who happened to be walking past them, so she lowered her tone. "He's about 15 years older than her!"

Glenn looked at the brunette and could almost sense her neck hairs standing on end. "That may be true," his voice was small and tentative. "But…if you haven't noticed, there aren't very many decent people left that haven't been eaten by walkers. Besides, Daryl is a good guy."

"He _is_ a good guy Glenn, but that's not the point. If she were your sister, would you say the same?"

Glenn paused to think over what Maggie had just said. "That's…debatable." The expression on her face showed that she was not satisfied with his answer, so he sighed. "Look, if you feel this strongly against it, maybe you should tell her? You know, give her some guidance."

Maggie shook her head. "Nuh uh, Beth is too stubborn. She won't listen to me, not if her feelings are already strong."

Glenn furrowed his brow. "Then what are you going to do?"

The brunette glanced around the camp in thought, until her eyes finally fell upon Noah who was busy bouncing Judith on his lap, and then back at Daryl. "I'll think of somethin'."

. . .

Beth had a way of messing up Daryl's rational thoughts without even trying. He found that as the days went on, he struggled at fighting the things he felt; things that he so desperately wanted to run away from. The feelings that were stirring inside him for Beth were making him vulnerable, and it scared the shit out of him. Not only that, but a voice in the back of his head kept repeating the words " _She's just a child_ ," " _No she's not," "Yes she is."_

It was a constant battle in his mind, but the logical side was slowly losing because eventually he'd find himself once again by her side, powerless and unable to ignore the bizarre flutter he felt in his stomach whenever she smiled or looked at him. This feeling was something new, something he never felt with another female. Daryl carried a mix of emotions in his heart, emotions he didn't know how to deal with.

So, instead of talking to Beth about it, he carried the stress inside as it slowly ate away at him. It wasn't all bad, as there were moments when the eagerness of spending time with her diluted the moments when he needed his space. But whenever he saw Noah squeezing his way in; talking to her, looking at her the way he did or laughing at her remarks, Daryl wanted nothing more than to make it known that Beth was _his_. He cursed at himself for being so selfish and possessive, but it was only because he was worried he'd lose what he had with Beth before she even comprehended the emotions developing inside him.

Perhaps she'd eventually give up on him. Daryl wouldn't blame her if she did; Beth deserved someone who wasn't afraid of bubbly, romantic things. Yet still, in this chaotic, ugly world, she was the only thing that seemed to make the most sense. Perhaps…if Beth waited long enough, he'd eventually give in.

As Daryl climbed into the bus the next morning, he wondered if he was just overcompensating and decided to stop thinking about his concerns over Noah altogether—at least for now. Besides, he seemed like a respectable kid, and IF Beth did happen to choose anyone over Daryl, he'd ultimately be O.K with that…just as long as she was happy. Still, he made damn sure he was the one sitting beside Beth for the next four hours on the bus.

Luckily, Abraham had finally snapped out of whatever state he was in thanks to the powerful words Maggie had spoken to him. When they were finally on their way and the sun was warming up the chill in the air, Beth took the window seat and glanced back at Tara's grave and the cross they had made for her out of branches. It was the best they could do in the little time that they had, and Beth wished that Tara could have been heading to Alexandria with them. She sighed dolefully, which must have caught Daryl's attention because he placed his right hand consolingly on her lap and softly stroked his fingers against her jeans. He knew exactly what she was thinking about without having to say a word.

Beth laid her head atop her folded arms that leaned against the back part of the seat in front of her, lazily watching the moving scenery through the window. Everyone on the bus was silent in their own thoughts, with maybe a few whispers here and there, as Rick drove them to their new destination. Daryl's hand had now moved to the small of her back, and she found herself closing her eyes, relaxed under his compassionate touch. She was glad to have him sitting beside her this time around and was contentedly surprised with his unexpected boldness, but she wasn't going to question it. At that moment, she didn't doubt the possibility of dosing off from his gentle caressing and the low humming from the bus.

. . .

"According to the map, we should be almost there," Rick ardently announced to the group as he took a quick glance behind his shoulder before looking back on the road. The tone in his voice was unwavering.

They had been travelling on the bus for quite a while, only stopping once for those who needed a bathroom break. Anticipation grew fiercer within Beth as she wondered what to expect from Alexandria, and she figured she wasn't the only one eager to know. However, she had a good feeling about this place and she hadn't felt this positive about somewhere since they first arrived at the prison.

They drove for about another ten minutes before they entered onto a road scattered with vehicles and several half charred houses that had been falling apart. The most astounding spectacle, however, was the towering wall that blocked their view ahead. Rick eased off the accelerator as his eyes widened from the sight. Hannah and Greg certainly did not exaggerate in the slightest. Rick eventually stopped in the middle of the road several car lengths away from the gate.

Daryl stood up from his seat beside Beth and rushed to Rick's side. "I see someone, standin' at the tower," he warned as he lifted his hand and pointed at the overlook to their right. "There."

Rick nodded as he followed the direction of the redneck's index finger. "Yeah, I see him too. It looks like he's got a rifle aimed at us."

"Maybe this was a mistake coming here," Rosita piped up, feeling a little nervous at the idea of getting shot down the moment they exited off the bus.

"It's only natural that they'd have someone keeping watch," Bob countered as he stood on his feet. "I say we go to the gate, but we keep our weapons drawn in case anything happens."

Rick nodded as he turned off the ignition. "Bob has a point. We'll be cautious, but we've come too far to go back now."

"So how are we going to do this?" Glenn asked with uncertainty. "Knock on their doors and demand they take us in? What if they don't want to?"

"They will," Rick nodded again; his tone was a little more forceful than before. "We'll mention that Greg and Hannah sent us, and if they still don't take us in…we'll fight for it and make it ours."

"No!" Tyreese bellowed as he abruptly stood up, his fists hit the seat in front of him. "No more fightin'!"

Silence lingered inside the bus from the man's sudden outburst. However, Beth had to agree with him. This was not who they were. "If we sought to steal Alexandria from them, then we'd be no different from the Governor," Beth proclaimed, her voice shaky with distress as she remembered their last moments at the prison.

"Beth's right," Daryl agreed with the blonde after a brief consideration. A twinge of sadness stirred within him by her choice of words. "If they don't want us, we should move on and keep doin' what we've been doin'."

"Surviving," Abraham pointed out rather disappointingly, merely uttered the word as though he were thinking out loud. It was the first time he spoke since Eugene admitted to his lies.

Rick drew out a sigh and contemplated their options. "Alright, we won't take it for our own. Since we want to look peaceful I think it's best that we keep our weapons in our holsters. If they start shootin', don't hesitate to take out your guns and shoot back."

Though it could turn out to be dangerous, the group agreed to the plan only because it was their best bet at getting on the good side of those who lived in Alexandria. When they slowly stepped out of the bus, Beth was relieved to finally be standing again. Among the birds singing joyfully in the trees around them, the blonde instantly heard faint sounds of children's laughter in the distance, coming from somewhere inside Alexandria. Beth's heart leaped in excitement, not fear, when she heard such happiness of normal human life.

They cautiously sauntered towards the gate. With Judith in his arms, Rick's eyes darted between the man up in the tower and the entrance to the community. The barred gate itself was draped over by some sort of translucent tarp, and eventually two figures appeared behind it. The man with the rifle must have somehow alerted a few others about their company, and it became obvious that they were willing to talk. Thankfully, they weren't the type of people to shoot down everything that moved on sight.

"What do you all want?" A man's calming voice asked once the group reached the gate, seemingly unafraid by their presence.

Rick cleared his throat and drew out a sigh. "We're lookin' for a place to live, where we can feel safe. We met up with two of your people back in Hillsborough who go by the names Greg and Hannah. They told us about you."

The man behind the gate chuckled slightly, causing Daryl to cock his head. "Was it Hannah's idea?"

The redneck's eyes squinted in puzzlement. "Does it matter?"

"No, not really, she just has the same views as me. It just so happens that we've been trying to find more survivors—ones that were strong and well equipped to deal with the biters. I guess she saw something in all of you," the man replied with the same amount of calmness in his tone, but with a little more excitement. "You've come to the right place. The man up in the tower—his name is Aiden and he's told us that you guys carry a hefty amount of weapons. I'm unfortunately going to have to ask you to turn them in."

"And if we don't?" Rick asked annoyingly, but figured he already knew the answer.

"Then this gate won't be opening. Don't worry, you'll eventually get them back, but you have to meet up with us halfway if you want to stay here. Would you let a mysterious group into your community and allow them to still carry their guns?" The man asked prudently, and silence followed. "I didn't think so."

"Why would you let a mysterious group into your home to begin with?" Carol questioned further.

"I believe everyone deserves a chance," the man replied honestly. "We have no reason to distrust someone until they give us a reason to, and like I said, we need more people like you to protect this place. You need a place to feel safe; well we have our needs too."

"Let's give them our weapons," Michonne directed the group, and they all began taking the guns out of their holsters and dropping them on the ground, included the katana, bow and crossbow. Everyone did as they were told, all except for one. "Rick?"

Rick sighed, feeling vulnerable as he hated not being in control. With his one free hand, he pulled out his colt python and set it on the ground. "There, we've set our guns down but we're keepin' our blades."

"Fair enough," the man agreed as he began to open the gate after getting the O.K by Aiden.

Beth and the others watched closely as two men with brown, curly hair appeared from behind the gate. They were clean and well dressed, their clothes looked fresh and ironed; their skin spotless. Behind them were lawns that had been mowed, flower beds that had been taken care of and houses that were well kept. It looked like a normal neighborhood, one that never saw the ugliness of what the world was now. It was beautifully serene.

"I'm Aaron, and this is Nicholas," the man who had been previously talking to them through the gate announced. "I'll get people to come and collect the weapons later. They'll be safe until then. Come in, it's alright."

Rick and his group proceeded to cautiously walk inside, and Nicholas shut the gate behind them.

"We weren't expecting you all, so excuse us if we are a little unorganized," Aaron explained, but the group remained silent. He cleared his throat. "Well, welcome to Alexandria. I'll have to escort you all to Deanna; she'll want to know you guys are here."

"Who's Deanna?" Abraham questioned sternly.

"She knows everything you'd want to know about this place," Aaron explained as he looked around the group. "Who's your leader?"

Everyone held their tongue as Rick stepped forward. "Me."

Aaron nodded. "What's your name?"

"Rick."

"Alright Rick, I'll get you to talk to her first. Everyone, follow me," Aaron instructed as he began walking up the road. Nicholas lingered in the back, holding his gun in case anything was to go down.

Beth eyeballed the streets up and down, marveled by how spotless the place was. No garbage littered the streets, no nauseating bodies either laying lifelessly on the ground or rambling around aimlessly. The people who lived there stood and gazed at them like they were extra-terrestrials from another planet.

"It was too easy gettin' in here," Daryl whispered to Beth as he walked beside her while studying the people around them.

Beth shrugged as she murmured back. "Aaron said the community needed more people. Maybe it was just fate."

"I don't believe in fate…just pure dumb luck."

Beth frowned as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Well, then maybe we're finally lucky for a change."

Daryl glanced at the blonde, and when she looked back up at him his chest fluttered annoyingly, so he quickly looked away. "Maybe. I guess we'll find out soon enough."


	11. Lie With Me

**A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry for the late update! Been super busy and I like to edit my chapters before I post them, so I had no time. Anyways, hope you like! Much love.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lie With Me

After a week of settling into the new community, Alexandria could now be called home. It was unlike any other place they stayed at in the past. It was a community, and Beth fell in love with it instantly. She presumed the others did too, even though they didn't precisely fit in with the people who have lived here ever since the infection began. These strangers never experienced life outside of Alexandra's sturdily constructed walls, and so most of them had absolutely no idea what it was like to encounter a walker, or even how untrustworthy and dangerous people have become.

Rick made a point from the get-go that he didn't like how Deanna and her people were so naïve to the world as it was now, and he already made plans to change that, especially when he and Michonne were appointed as the town's sheriffs. Beth, on the other hand, wanted to just leave it like it was. It was peaceful, and she was content. It reminded her of what life used to be like; what it should be like, and it's helped her forget about the walkers. However, Rick was stubborn, and no one else from the group seemed to share Beth's point of view, particularly Carol. Being young at twenty years old, and the fact that her vote was outnumbered, she knew that whatever she had to say wasn't noteworthy. At least that's what Beth assumed. So, to dispute for what she believed in was a waste of time.

On top of all that, Beth detected a change in Daryl's demeanor ever since they arrived at Alexandria. He'd become more standoffish as he held his lips in silence. She could tell he dreaded this place. He probably felt like a caged animal just longing to get out. Among all of them, he was the one that felt most uncomfortable and out of place. Beth was very pleased for him when Aaron and his boyfriend Eric gave Daryl a new bike and his very own job, a job that would solve his problems of feeling trapped and unwelcome. It was a chance to get out every now and again and help Aaron find some new people to bring into Alexandria, just like Rick's group was. Back at the prison and even a little while after that, Daryl wouldn't have agreed to it, but Beth knew his altered ideas were embedded inside him because of her. She certainly got through to him as he now shared the same beliefs as her as far as giving other people a chance.

"Beth?"

Beth heard a familiar voice call out her name, making her realize she was daydreaming again. Beth brushed her face with her hand and looked to her left, away from the pond in front of her. It was her sister. "Oh, hey Maggie."

"Beth, Deanna has invited us and Glenn over for dinner at her place and Noah too, apparently."

"Noah? Why him?" Beth questioned as she crinkled her face in puzzlement.

Maggie shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea; I guess we'll find out soon enough. I was thinkin' it might be a good chance for you to get to know Deanna better." She stood there anxiously as her hands clasped together.

Beth grumbled. "How come she wants us to join her family for dinner?"

Maggie thought for a moment as she placed her hands on her hips. "Deanna trusts me; you know that, seeing as I'm her assistant now. I'm figurin' she's curious about you since you're my sister, especially since she never got a chance to interview you when we first arrived. It doesn't hurt to get on her good side after all."

"I guess you're right," Beth agreed as she stood up off the bench from where she sat.

"Also, I thought you should know that Glenn will be headin' out tomorrow again with Deanna's son, Aiden, and this time with Eugene, Noah and a couple others. I just pray it doesn't turn out into a heated fight like yesterday."

Beth could see a worried look in Maggie's eyes, and she immediately walked over to her sister and hugged her tightly. "Everythin'll be fine, I just know it."

As Beth pulled away and gave Maggie a reassuring smile, she could see the corner of her sister's lips beginning to tug. "Come on, you should get yourself cleaned up, dinner will be ready in two hours. I'll let Deanna know you've accepted the invitation."

"Sure," Beth nodded before she watched Maggie turn around and walk back to the street.

Beth wasn't planning on wanting much company tonight, but she supposed dinner wouldn't be so bad. She couldn't imagine Deanna being a bad cook, and the idea of a delicious meal did awaken Beth's suddenly growing appetite. Then, as she began walking towards one of her groups houses, she thought back at what was only three weeks ago. Daryl and Beth were munching away on peanut butter and pigs feet at that funeral home, and it certainly wasn't appetizing. This was a great change and she hoped one day Daryl would appreciate it also.

As she reached for the door handle after running up the ligneous porch steps, she was startled by another voice, but this time it was profounder and much less determined than her sister.

"You're in a hurry."

Beth smacked her hand to her chest as she gasped and turned to look at Daryl who sat quietly on the wickerwork bench in the far corner of the porch. His ability to stay undetected certainly was not to be underestimated.

"Daryl…" Beth mumbled as she regained her composure. "I didn't see you there."

"Didn't mean to scare ya."

Beth hesitated for a moment as she studied him, realizing that it was fairly abnormal for Daryl to be sitting about doing absolutely nothing. If he was sitting on the porch, he was usually accompanied by a dead animal that he had previously hunted and was skinning. This had also been the first time he made contact with her since they arrived at Alexandria a few days prior. As much as the distance bothered her, she knew it was important to give him space. It was one of the first lessons her mother ever taught her about men.

"What are you doing anyway?" She asked curiously, completely forgetting about why she was on the porch to begin with.

Daryl shrugged as he regarded his surroundings for a brief moment and then back at Beth. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say, but he withheld it as he fidgeted in his chair until he finally stood up on his feet. He took a few steps forward and the sun met his face, but he kept his eyes onto the street.

"I'll be headin' out with Aaron tomorrow mornin' to look for other survivors," Daryl explained as he scratched at the dirt around the creases of his nails. "Don't know how long we'll be out there."

"That's good," Beth replied, fighting every inch of her being not to beg him to stay at Alexandria where it was much safer. "It'll be good for you. It seems like everybody is going out tomorrow."

Daryl narrowed his eyes as he looked at her in perplexity. "Everybody?"

"Well, not _everybody_. Glenn, Noah, Eugene and a few others from Alexandria," Beth restated more precisely. "They are going to do a run for supplies."

Daryl quickly nodded in understanding. "So why're you in such a hurry for?"

"I was invited to dinner at Deanna's, along with my sister, Glenn and Noah," Beth replied, thinking nothing of it but it seemed to strike interest in Daryl's eyes.

"Hmm," he hummed in thought.

"What?" Beth lifted her brow, noticing his eyes squint as ideas played through his mind. She remembered back to their conversation about Noah and his trivial notions about him and her ' _getting along_.' It left Beth bemused, wondering if perhaps Daryl regarded the guy as a threat.

"Jus' seems like two families gettin' together. Odd that Noah is in the mix," Daryl gave her a side glance, curious for her response.

"I thought the same thing, but Maggie didn't know either, so I—" Beth began to explain, but was unexpectedly interrupted by Carl who swung open the front door with Judith in his arms, seeming as though he were desperate.

"Oh, Beth!" Carl said with relief, virtually passing the toddler over to her. "Can you watch Judith for me?"

"I—uh, sure," Beth stammered as she awkwardly took Judith in her arms. Normally she would have no problem with this, but she didn't have much time until dinner and on top of that, Carl seemed far too anxious and bothered. "Is there something wrong?"

Carl had already jumped to the bottom of the stairs and was bolting past the house, not stopping as he explained. "I just saw Enid climb the wall!"

Beth and Daryl looked at each other, slits in their eyes with suspicion as they found themselves once again alone.

"Are you going to go after them?" Beth was the first to speak as Judith clumsily tried to grab her golden braid.

Daryl shrugged with little interest as the curiosity left his eyes. "She's probably been doin' it for a while now. Good for her."

"Well, maybe that's fine for her but you should find Rick and let him know that Carl may go over the wall," Beth stated matter-of-factly. "I'd go myself but I gotta get ready for that dinner and take care of Judith in the meantime."

"Alright," Daryl replied, sighing in defeat as he jumped over the railing, making a loud thud on the ground when his feet touched the grass below. "Let me know later how your dinner goes." The tone in Daryl's voice seemed rather sarcastic, Beth thought, but the redneck had ran off too quickly for her to make some kind of remark. She wasn't in the mood to yell after him anyway.

With Judith in her arms, Beth walked inside the house and up the stairs. She passed the bathroom, and she instantly remembered how wonderful the sensation of hot water and steam from the shower felt on her body the first day she arrived at Alexandria. Beth had one every day since, not once taking it for granted. At the end of the hall was her bedroom which contained a dresser, a double bed and a dressing table with a mirror. The room had two windows, one that viewed the backyard and the other that viewed the east side of the house. Her closet contained a few articles of clothing, but nothing too spectacular. Beth grabbed the dressiest outfit she had. It was a black cocktail dress that was tight around her waist but opened up over her legs, cutting off just above her knees. It was given to her from Jessie; a kind lady with two sons who made the most effort (besides Deanna) in getting to know the group.

As Beth held out the dress in front of her, her thoughts drifted and her face strained with worry. As much as she didn't want to admit it to the redneck or herself, it bothered her knowing that he'd be gone for who knows how many days with Aaron. She knew he could take care of himself, but there was always the slight chance that he might slip up or run into someone dangerous and the worst could happen. However, she knew she couldn't ask him to stay because that might as well be like clipping a bird's wings, denying it of flight.

By the time Beth, Maggie, Glenn and Noah were ready to leave for the dinner, Rick and Carl had already returned to the house. He was not all too thrilled about his son's escapade after a girl, and decided to try grounding him as a result. Carl's reaction—though irritated—was still rather amusing to watch. After Beth slipped into her dress, brushed her golden hair and let it loose out of the usual ponytail, she swiftly ran down the stairs and met the others in the foyer. She instantly noticed the amazement on Noah's face, seeming unable to take his eyes off of her. Beth looked around quickly, but Daryl was nowhere to be seen.

"You look stunning!" Noah exclaimed. He fidgeted in his spot as though he were nervous about something.

Beth thanked him, as well as a few others who also made the same remark, but began to wonder if this was somehow a blind date. The thought crossed her mind earlier, but now it appeared more likely just in the way Noah greeted her at the bottom of the stairs, along with his subtly tense demeanour. Either way, Beth decided to go along with it as everyone seemed to be in such a pleasant mood. She didn't want to make things uncomfortable, especially if her hunch was wrong.

As the four of them journeyed down the street towards Deanna's house, Beth made a point once again to glance around for Daryl, yet still she could not spot him. As bad as it sounded, she wished it were the redneck walking with her to the dinner party, not Noah. Not like Daryl would ever agree in going to an event like this anyway, Beth presumed. Apart from that, Beth wanted to make sure she had a chance to say goodbye to him before he left with Aaron in the morning. She wasn't too worried about his disappearance though, specifically because he did ask her to tell him how the dinner went after it was done. Beth assumed he possibly had a plan to see her one last time before he departed. Well, at least she hoped he did.

"Welcome to the Monroe household!" Deanna shouted happily once opening the door to Glenn's knock from his fist.

"We thank you for the invitation," Maggie smiled as the four of them stepped over the threshold.

Beth instantly caught the smell of melted mozzarella cheese, basil and tomatoes, and her mouth suddenly began to water.

"You're quite welcome. I hope you all like lasagna! I made plenty for all of us," Deanna said as she watched everyone slip off their footwear.

Noah's lips beamed as a grin appeared on his face, almost losing his balance after taking the shoe off his right foot. "It's my favorite! I can't remember the last time I had it."

Beth smiled at his comment, and her stomach growled at the talk of warm food awaiting them in the kitchen. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until they entered the house. Deanna led them to the living room where they were greeted by Aiden, Spencer and her husband, Reg. When the dinner was eventually placed on the table in the dining room and they all sat down to eat, their conversations had mainly consisted of past stories, Aiden's supply run tomorrow and how pleased Deanna and Reg were to have Rick's group join the community. Then finally, Deanna's focus went directly onto the blonde.

"It's nice to finally have the chance to talk to you, Beth. I apologize for taking so long."

"That's alright," Beth smiled as she scooped up one of the last pieces of noodles off her plate. "You've been busy, and I know Maggie must have told you all about me by now."

Deanna chuckled as she lightly brushed her auburn hair with her fingers. "That she has. Do you like it here in Alexandria? I know most of you are still trying to get accustom to our way of life, particularity Daryl. I'm still trying to figure that man out."

Beth faltered as she felt her heart leap when she heard the redneck's name, but managed to let out a small smile. "I am. Living here is wonderful—almost unreal. I haven't seen a walker since we arrived. I would say it's a record."

Deanna clasped her hands together happily. "Good, I'm glad to hear it! As you know, I've given out several different jobs to your friends and family, including your boyfriend here, and—"

"Oh, um," Beth interrupted awkwardly and also rather surprisingly. "Noah and I are just friends."

Spencer cleared his throat quietly as his mother's mouth opened ajar in embarrassment. Glenn shot an uncertain look at Maggie. "Oh, I'm very sorry! I just assumed since he was invited here and you two were around the same age that you must have been a couple."

"Don't worry about it," Noah reassured her before smiling shyly in the blonde's direction.

"Yeah it's fine, I could see why you would get mixed up," Beth added, but flashed a look at her sister in confusion.

Maggie caught the blonde's eyes and she frowned. She knew then that she had been caught in a white lie, only because previously she acted as though she didn't know why Noah was invited to the dinner. Maggie made it seem like it was all Deanna's idea, but she didn't expect her to refer to Noah as Beth's boyfriend. She knew the blonde would be questioning her later, and instantly regretted the idea of inviting Noah so the two could have a chance to bond.

"Well in any case," Deanna continued as she attempted to change the subject. "I heard that you have quite the green thumb from working on your family's farm in the past, and I was hoping that you'd be interested in working in our garden."

Rather than answering, Beth knitted her brow. Her mind was still troubled by what had just transpired.

"You would make a great asset," Reg added, detecting the disinterest in her body language and lack of a response.

Beth looked up at the couple then, realizing that the job they wanted to give her was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, she knew how to plant seeds and grow them into vegetables and fruit, but it was never a task she really enjoyed doing. It was a chore she was taught because she lived on the farm, nothing more. Even though Beth was tired of seeing walkers, she'd much rather do what Daryl was doing or go on supply runs with Glenn. The thought of watering plants made her body shudder at the thought of how jaded it would be. "Could I maybe think about it?"

"We need the gardeners," Aiden retorted snappishly, assuming that that would be all she was useful for.

"Aiden," Deanna said sharply in a way that told him to shut his mouth, embarrassed by her son's rudeness. She then regarded Beth with a smile. "Of course you can think about it. Just let me know what you want to do when you decide."

Beth curved her lips inward as she struggled to smile, but she couldn't shake the feeling of just wanting to leave the table and walk back to the house. She wasn't pleased with her sister, and the unexpected impoliteness towards her from Aiden made her suddenly uncomfortable, more so than when Deanna thought she and Noah were a couple.

It was another hour of socializing before Beth could finally leave without it being impolite on her end. She departed rather quickly, and Maggie decided it would be best to catch up to her and explain before the blonde's negative thoughts about her sister continued to escalate. Noah was a little baffled about what was happening after they left Deanna's house, but Glenn knew all too well.

"Beth!" Maggie called out, but the blonde continued to make hefty strides down the street towards the house. "We need to talk about what happened. I need to explain!"

Beth turned on her heels and faced her sister, a tad angrier about the situation then she should have been. However, she figured it was a mixture of things that caused her to be upset but immaturely decided to take it out on Maggie. "You lied to me! Why?"

"Can you please keep your voice down? You're gonna cause unwanted attention," Maggie asked when she finally caught up to the blonde.

Beth lowered her voice, but sustained the firmness in her tone. "You told me you didn't know why Noah was going, yet Deanna didn't know either. Obviously it was you, so why did you lie?"

Maggie hesitated for a moment, but decided to make up an alibi. "I was hoping you might like Noah so I invited him to come along. Why are you so upset?"

Beth raised her voice again as she began to sound more shrill. "Because it was embarrassin'! Noah probably thinks I wanted him to be invited. I like Noah, but not in the way you're thinkin'."

"I'm sorry Beth; I'll straighten it out with him, okay?" Maggie sighed as she tried to place her hand on her sister's shoulder, but the blonde moved away.

"You're only sorry because I found out. I don't need you to play match maker for me, I can find someone on my own," Beth explained as she turned back around and headed towards the house once again.

Maggie held her tongue as she watched her sister go, wondering if that _"someone"_ she was referring to was Daryl. She sighed, deciding she would have to stop playing games and go straight to the source.

. . .

Daryl was repairing the string on his crossbow as he prepared it for tomorrow when he heard the front door open and close abruptly, followed by footsteps that raced up the stairs. He stood up off the chair in alert before leaning his weapon against the wall beside the sofa. Daryl made it to the top of the stairs quick enough to catch Beth with her hand on the doorknob to her bedroom, right before she turned around to notice that he had trailed her into the hallway.

He cocked his head, concerned about her obvious frustration but also couldn't deny how beautiful Beth was standing there in a black dress with her hair flowing down, almost touching her elbows. As much as he loathed the idea of her having dinner with Noah, that all disappeared the moment he saw her face soften from his presence, and the stress she carried had immediately vanished.

"Daryl…" Beth said through her gentle puffs of air as she tried to regain her composure.

He took a few innocent, careful steps forward. The tone in his voice was quiet and caring. "Everything alrigh'?"

The blonde shrugged, instantly remembering that Daryl would be leaving tomorrow, and the whole dispute with her sister suddenly seemed insignificant. "Jus' had a small fight with Maggie, nothin' too serious."

The redneck knitted his brow, not quite believing her. "It seemed serious by the way you ran up them stairs—like a walker was chasin' you or something."

"Were you waitin' up for me?" Beth asked cheekily as a smile appeared on her face. When she spotted him chewing his bottom lip and his eyes averted from her, her smile turned into a grin. "You totally were!"

Daryl shrugged and he looked back at her, slightly uneasy with the idea that she figured him out so effortlessly. "Yer changin' the subject."

Beth drew out a sigh, feeling defeated as neither of them seemed to fool the other. "I guess…with what happened with Maggie and the thought of you going out tomorrow…it's just made me worried and upset." She looked down at the floor, kicking herself for admitting that to him.

Daryl was now several feet away from her. "I'll be fine out there," he said reassuringly as Beth glanced up into his eyes. "When I get back, I'll teach you how to work that bow."

Suddenly without a moment's hesitation, Beth leaped forwards and wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist and pulled him to her, causing him to almost lose his balance. She didn't quite know why she did it, but it was an urge she couldn't ignore. Beth grabbed tightly onto his leather vest, not wanting to let go. "Be careful…please."

At first his arms remained stiff to his sides, but the moment he heard her voice he slowly returned the embrace. They stood there for a few seconds before Daryl solemnly replied to her request, his breath tickled her neck. "I will." He pulled away and turned around, beginning to depart down the hallway after he said goodnight as he was unable to stand there another moment. He hated goodbyes, but he knew he'd be back in about five days; a week at the latest.

Beth stared at his back as she watched him go, but then her heart raced rapidly when an idea popped into her head. She wasn't finished with him just yet. "Wait."

Daryl stopped and turned around, a look of curiosity emerged on his face.

"Don't go." Her tone was calming and yet urgent all at the same time.

"I need to go. I'm fallin' into a rut just staying here."

Beth shook her head. "I'm not talking about tomorrow mornin'. I'm talkin' about staying with me tonight."

Daryl said nothing, but she could read his face like a front-page headline. The pleading tone in her voice made him wince with embarrassment. He fidgeted in his spot as thoughts raced violently through his head, uncertain about what she was actually asking. Daryl noticed the frown forming on her face as he took his time to respond, and he instantly felt guilty for crashing her fleeting moment of fervency.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Beth said rather hastily. "I just wanted it to be like old times…when it used to be jus' me and you." She kept her gaze on him, wondering if she perhaps made a mistake.

The low voices in the kitchen downstairs became audible in their silence, and Daryl decided to open his mouth and speak. "The others might wonder where I went."

Beth nodded quickly as she spoke in an understanding tone. "That's true, forget I asked. Goodnight Daryl."

Without another look in his direction, she turned around and opened her door before quickly closing it again after entering her bedroom. She felt completely ridiculous and self-conscious, wondering if he'd ever speak to her again after that incident. Huffing at herself, she walked over towards her dresser in search of something to wear for bed. After changing into a pair of sweatpants and a black tank top, she unexpectedly heard a soft knock on the door and her heart leaped to her throat.

When she opened the door once again, Daryl stood there silently, staring up at the ceiling and all the other empty spaces around her. Although they were both awkward about it at first, Beth invited him in and he willingly accepted. The only light on was from a lamp sitting on the night table, creating a warm ambiance in the room.

"I'm thinkin' about going to sleep," Beth explained, but he didn't reply. He only watched her curiously. "Thank you for staying, I just didn't want to be alone."

Daryl shrugged as he glanced around the room until his eyes settled onto a recliner beside the bed. "I'll take the chair."

Beth frowned but didn't say anything until after she switched the light off and lay on top of her comforter. She stared at the shadowy figure of Daryl sitting on the chair, wondering if his eyes were closed. "They want me to be a gardener." Daryl managed to let out a small chuckle, amused by the disappointment in her tone and how easily her comment put his uncomfortable demeanor at ease. Beth knitted her brow as she perched her head up onto her hand. "It's not funny, Daryl. You realize how boring that job will be for me?"

"Then say no. Simple," Daryl responded nonchalantly as he rubbed his jaw with his hand. The moon emitted a dull light on the foot of her bed where she leisurely elevated her legs up and back down again as she lay on her stomach.

Beth hummed in thought, wanting to admit to him right then that she'd much rather join him and Aaron on their runs. Instead, she remained quiet, deciding to keep the idea to herself for the time being. She kept her eyes on the redneck, then around the room and eventually back onto him, saddened that he chose the chair rather than the empty spot next to her. Her thoughts were bouncing in every corner of her brain, whispering inside her nerves like voices through phone lines: _Just ask him._

Daryl gnawed at his bottom lip as the silence continued, and without putting much thought into it, he decided to compliment her. He felt that being covered by darkness gave him a little more confidence to do so. "You were gorgeous tonight in that dress. Not that you're never gorgeous…" he quickly corrected. "But…" His voice trailed off, deciding to stop himself before he said too much.

Beth smiled, and her heart melted at how awkwardly charming he was. She adored it. "Thank you Mr. Dixon."

There she went again, playfully calling Daryl by his last name just to tease him. Although it annoyed him before, it was starting to rub off on him. Of course if he heard it from anyone else he'd probably wring their neck. He didn't know what to say after that, though he felt calm. The quietness in the room made him slowly drift off, until he heard Beth's tiny, southern voice speak his name.

"Daryl?"

"Mhm?"

"Could you…" she hesitated briefly, wondering if she was about to push things too far. "Could you lie here next to me?"

Daryl froze in his spot, his muscles tensed up at her unexpected request. Perhaps it was his fault for putting himself in this position to begin with. He should have expected this might happen, though at the same time his subconscious wanted to be close to her.

"I'm not askin' for anything else. I don't _want_ anything else. I just want you to hold me," Beth continued softly, figuring she should explain herself in case his imagination got the better of him.

Without another word Daryl got up to his feet, and she half expected him to walk out of the room and leave her there in the darkness. He stood there for a few moments, contemplating on his next move with a voice in his head screaming at him to run…but he didn't. Daryl ignored all of that. Instead, he inched his way towards the bed, sitting down and then eventually leaned back against the head rest. His body was stiff, except for his heart that raced violently, until finally Beth curled up beside him. Her head rested on his chest with her right arm draped over his stomach. The rhythm of his chest rising and falling was amazingly comforting to her.

At that moment, Daryl wasn't sure what to do next, wondering if he'd even be able to get some sleep in the position he was in. However when he heard her subtle, heavy breathing, his whole thought process changed. His nerves calmed, and his heart no longer raced as though it were running in a marathon. Beth fell asleep so easily in his arms and a slight smile curved on one corner of his mouth. He slowly wrapped his arm around her waist, letting his hand hang loosely over her side. In that moment, he realized that this thing they had—whatever is was—could work. It wasn't impossible. The way Beth captured him; the way she made him feel like a man…he was hers, and he had no troubles acknowledging that.

Lying with her was far more relaxing than he anticipated and before he comprehended what was happening, he slowly drifted off into a deep, peaceful slumber.


	12. Concerns

**A/N:** Thank you all for the reviews! I'm very pleased you guys liked last chapter! It had some good moments between Beth and Daryl. This one, however, is a little different as they don't have any interaction at all. So I hope you all aren't too disappointed! Trust me, I have way more enjoyment when I can write their conversations and interactions, but unfortunately chapters like this one have to come up as well. Let me know what you guys think!

CHAPTER TWELVE

Concerns

 _Daryl was dreaming about her, the girl with long, golden hair. He was inside of an old, run down house and he could hear a piano playing somewhere, echoing in every direction. Although he could not see her, he knew that Beth was the one hitting the key strokes. No matter how long or how hard he searched, he could not find her._

 _In every room he investigated, a peculiar crow was perched on a piece of furniture, watching him carefully. Although it was a strange sighting, Daryl's main focus was on finding Beth and so he disregarded the bird. He even tried to call out her name, but no words could escape past his lips. Darkness blanketed every corner of the house, and the music (though the song was unrecognizable) became increasingly louder until it eventually stopped abruptly when he reached the family room. Daryl scanned the area carefully, until he heard a malevolent voice scream irritably at him._

" _PATHETIC!"_

 _He spun around to the source of the noise, but his vision was instantly obstructed by the crow that flew right in his face, clawing and pecking at his eyes. He managed to get away, feeling powerless to fight back. When Daryl reached the front door to escape and swung it open, a vision of Maggie stood at the porch with her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently on the ground._

" _What have you done to her?" She asked angrily. Her voice reverberated loudly, causing the windows to suddenly shatter into pieces._

" _I didn't do nothin'!" Daryl argued back, but Maggie lifted her arm and pointed behind his shoulder._

 _He turned around slowly; almost too afraid to see what she wanted to show him. A walker was slowly inching towards Daryl, growling with a deep hunger only someone on the brink of death could understand. It wasn't just any walker. It was Beth. Her skin was deformed, loosely dangling from her bones as her jaw snapped sharply. Her arms reached for him, and Daryl froze in utter shock. The pain of seeing her in such a state left him vulnerable and defenseless. The moment Beth's hands snatched him, her mouth opened and her black, rotted teeth sunk deep into the tender flesh of his neck._

Daryl awoke abruptly, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. He shot a glance beside him to see Beth sleeping soundly beneath the covers. Even with a messy head of hair, she was still as gorgeous as always. The gentle puffs of air that past her lips calmed him down as he drew out a sigh. Though annoyingly unsettling, it was just a dream. The feeling of waking up next to Beth, including a couple of times in the middle of the night, gave him warmth hard to forget. Daryl recalled searching for her on the bed after discovering that their bodies had moved away from each other since falling asleep, just so he could hold her once again. That desire for human connection with her was not something he expected of himself, and it left him confused on how he should handle it. It scared him half to death, but he also craved it, too. Daryl glanced at one of the windows in the bedroom, realizing that the light of the early morning was shining through the sheers.

Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly got up off the bed, deciding to depart without waking Beth up. Daryl didn't want to leave seeing a frown on her face, especially since he hated long, drawn-out goodbyes. Furthermore, Aaron was almost certainly waiting for Daryl's arrival to get started on their recruitment run. He snuck one last look at Beth before walking out, hoping that she wouldn't be too distraught when she eventually awoke to see that he had already left. What was outside the door, however, was someone he did not expect.

Once Daryl silently entered the hallway and shut the door behind him, Maggie happened to be standing outside halfway down the hall. She must've been heading towards the bathroom when he walked out. Her presence startled him, and he instantly felt disturbed at the remembrance of his ominous-like nightmare. Apart from that, he knew he was going to have a hard time explaining himself.

Maggie's mouth opened, knowing now that her speculation of something going on between Beth and Daryl was in fact accurate. She knitted her brow; her overprotected side brewed fiercer within her than before. "What were you doin' in my little sisters room?"

Daryl stood there speechless for several moments from her exasperation, but he quickly thought of something before Maggie's imagination got the better of her. "Beth was upset n' she wanted my company. Nothin' more."

Maggie shook her head in disbelief. "And what kind of company did you provide for her?"

Daryl had had enough as his anger grew by her persistent grilling. "None of yer business," he explained annoyingly as he walked past her, attempting to leave without any more questions on the subject. Of course, he knew damn well that she wouldn't be pleased with that answer and would most certainly not let him get off the hook that easily.

"I know she's old enough to decide on her own what she wants," Maggie clarified as she followed the redneck down the stairs. Daryl didn't answer as he snatched his crossbow off the wall where he left it the night before. "But I know my sister, and I know she's the kind of girl who wears her heart on her sleeve."

Daryl glanced around the room, realizing it was just the two of them awake at such an early hour. He figured it was around six in the morning. He looked back at her, his vision partly covered by the bangs that shielded his face. "What're you gettin' at?"

Maggie sighed with relief now that she had finally captured his attention, though his tone was still slightly agitated. "You are the complete opposite of her…from what I've seen at least."

"You're scared I'm gonna hurt her," Daryl stated matter-of-factly, now understanding the point she was trying to get at. He wasn't going to hide the truth that there was indeed something developing between him and Beth. Normally, someone would automatically turn on their defenses and argue about how wrong their statement was, but unfortunately Maggie was right.

"You two are very different in age," Maggie continued, attempting to be as careful with her words as possible. "You have plenty of more experiences than Beth. If you think you can support her…be with her in a loving way and never run from any fears you may have which would inevitably hurt her, then I can't stop you two. But if you have doubts…insecurities…then perhaps she is better off bein' with someone who can give her what she wants and needs in a relationship; someone who is maybe around the same age and head-space as her."

Daryl found himself staring at the floor, biting his bottom lip in contemplation. Hearing the word "relationship" startled him. Maggie knew him better than he thought she did. He nodded slowly before looking back up at the brunette. "Why tell this to me instead of Beth?"

Maggie shrugged before replying sincerely. "Because I know she won't listen to me. Like I said, Beth wears her heart on her sleeve, whereas you think more logically. I imagine you can make the right decision better than she could."

Daryl placed the strap of his crossbow over his shoulder, thinking about the girl upstairs down the hall, sleeping soundly and unaware. He wondered now more than ever what the argument last night between the two sisters was about, but he wasn't going to ask. Instead, he decided to high tail it out of there before they discussed anything further. "Thanks for the pep talk," Daryl said sarcastically. "I gotta go."

He didn't bother waiting for a response from Maggie as he left quite abruptly. The cool morning air was silent except for the light whistle of the breeze which stung his face after he exited the house. It gave him a sense of relief as he took long strides towards Aaron's place a few doors down. Daryl had to keep reminding himself of the night before; the way he felt when he held Beth in his arms. Though as much as he tried, that thought kept fading as other, more undesirable ones muddled his brain from the conversation he had with Maggie a few moments prior.

Though Maggie did not necessarily say it in words, she was right in a lot of ways. Daryl had too many bad experiences in his past, ones that damaged him in ways that could not be mended. However, although being Beth's opposite, she was the only one that has helped him see things differently—more positively. Daryl's greatest fear was ultimately breaking her heart because of his own uncertainties and characteristics of being a loner, but most importantly his inexperience of knowing how to be in an actual relationship. He had to think about the long run—which was something he never thought hard about before. Last night he was optimistic and certain that this thing he had with Beth could work, but now the conversation with Maggie gave him doubts once again, reawakening the more rational side of him that he was slowly becoming blind to. Daryl was thankful he had a chance to at least be separated from Beth to mull things over for the next few days.

. . .

Beth woke up with a smile on her face, feeling like she was floating in defiance of gravity. Though it was a little disappointing to open her eyes and not see Daryl by her side, she expected it to happen. She knew he had to leave quite early in the morning, so she wasn't too bothered about his disappearance. All that occupied her mind was the thought that her and Daryl slept soundly in each other's arms the night before. Her heart fluttered like a little girl who anticipated the arrival of Christmas morning.

After changing out of her sweats, Beth raced down the stairs with her face beaming with happiness. She could smell the scent of pancakes being made, and followed her nose into the kitchen. Rick, Judith, Carl and Michonne were already there, waiting somewhat patiently as Carol flipped over the chocolate chip pancakes in a large frying pan. Beth instantly plucked a kiss on Judith's cheek as her smile remained evident on her lips.

"Someone's happy," Carl chuckled as he watched her tie her blonde hair up into a ponytail, unaware of why she was so cheerful.

Beth shrugged as she placed her hands onto the island counter and made a quick scan of the room. "Why shouldn't I be? Livin' here makes it easy to forget the world outside." Though she didn't want to reveal what actually caused her happiness, it was also factual that living in Alexandria kept her spirits up in a way that no other place had.

"That may be true," Rick replied as he bounced Judith on his hip. "But I worry about how safe we really are. These people don't know much about what it's like out there. It makes me wonder how they were able to survive for this long."

"They must be doin' something right," Beth shrugged, frowning in disapproval at how much of a bummer Rick could be.

Suddenly, they all heard someone barrel down the stairs followed by loud footfalls that sprinted into the kitchen. "Oh, pancakes!" Glenn shouted joyfully as he appeared around the corner. The whole room roared with laughter.

"You're gonna need the energy today going on that supply run," Carol pointed out as she smiled behind her shoulder after the laughs subsided.

Maggie quietly sauntered into the kitchen after Glenn, wanting to join in on his enthusiasm but also held the guilt of what she did yesterday evening. She glanced over at Beth, hoping to witness some reconciliation through just a look as the two sisters normally did when one was mad at the other. Eventually they both caught each other's eyes, and the blonde smiled. Beth was too happy to care about the white lie her sister told her, and it honestly didn't matter anymore.

By the time the afternoon arrived, Glenn, Noah, Eugene and the others left on their supply run and where expected back by early evening. Noah made a point to apologize to Beth before he left, hoping that the dinner the night before didn't put a strain on their growing friendship. Though he was very adamant about it, his face was riddled with disappointment, probably because he had hoped Maggie invited him only for the very reason that Beth wanted him there. Unfortunately, she had her sights on somebody else.

Several times throughout the day, Beth found herself staring at the entrance gate, wondering where Daryl was and hoping that he'd make it back with Aaron all in one piece. She would have to think and worry about that for the next few days. That awareness made her cringe. Beth made up her mind; she was going to talk to Deanna about going out past the wall with Aaron next time instead of gardening like she was asked. She didn't know what kind of response she would get, but anticipated that the older lady would be accommodating to it. Perhaps Daryl wouldn't be too happy about it, but Beth couldn't tolerate standing around stressing about it all the time. He was her companion after all—it was just him and her for several months. What would be so different about then and now?

Beth eventually found herself standing in front of the Monroe house, her hand clenching to a fist when she knocked on the door. It took a few seconds before she heard footsteps reaching the threshold.

"Oh, hello Beth! It's good to see you," Deanna said cheerfully when she opened the door, but her eyes were hardened with worry—most likely for her son Aiden who was out on the supply run. "Come on in. Would you like some tea?"

The blonde smiled shyly as she entered the house. The place no longer smelled like delicious lasagna, but instead carried a faint scent of clean laundry. "No, thank you."

"I wanted to apologize again for my slipup last night," Dianna spoke sincerely after she shut the door. "You were very quiet afterwards and I felt awful for causing you any embarrassment."

Beth shook her head. "It's okay, really. It was a simple mistake that anyone could make," she said as she was lead into the living room. The house seemed quiet, and she figured Spencer and Reg were out somewhere doing errands in the community.

"Oh good, I'm glad that didn't start us off on the wrong foot," Deanna said with a smile as they sat down on the couch. She studied Beth, and recognized that she appeared to be uneasy about something. "How have you been? You have the same apprehension in your expressions that I do."

Beth shrugged as she let out a weak smile in return. "I jus' have some things on my mind."

Deanna cocked her head in curiosity. "Well, we can talk about it if you like."

"That's…sorta why I came here today. I wanted to talk to you about the job you offered me," Beth felt the guilt beginning to develop inside her, knowing that she would decline even though they needed more people to help out.

Deanna nodded her head, accepting the fact that the blonde would refuse. She already knew what her answer would be since the night before. Her reactions made it clear. "You don't want to work in the garden, and I completely understand that."

Beth widened her eyes in surprise. "You knew?"

Deanna chuckled lightheartedly at the young woman's astonishment. "Well, you didn't exactly jump for joy when I brought it up, so it wasn't hard to figure out. Is there anything you would like to do instead?"

Beth felt her heart jump, realizing that this was her chance. "There was something…" she began, though hesitated briefly as she wondered what she was getting herself into. "I was hopin' I could join Aaron and Daryl on their runs to find other survivors."

Deanna knitted her brow as she stared at Beth, a little taken aback by the unexpected appeal. She didn't take the blonde as someone who would want to go outside the wall. It was impressive, but as Deanna pondered for several seconds, she wondered if there was perhaps an underlying reason behind it. She decided to innocently nudge for answers. "I must say I'm quite surprised by your request. I never perceived you as someone who would be interested in a task as dangerous as that. Can I ask why?"

Without meaning to, Beth began to feel the heat rise in her cheeks as she shrugged. She hoped her blushing wouldn't be a noticeable sight. "I just believe there are good people out there that need to be saved."

Deanna smirked playfully as she noticed the blonde's face flush with a crimson shade. "You came here today feeling troubled. Are you by any chance worried about Daryl?"

"No!" Beth said abruptly out of surprise as she moved forward to the edge of her seat, but then realized that her reaction made her look even guiltier. "I mean yes, but—"

Deanna was unable to hold in a laugh which interrupted the blonde's explanations. "It's okay Beth; I'm not going to judge you. Daryl is the quiet and mysterious type which happens to intrigue many women. Maggie told me that you two were surviving on your own together for quite some time before you all found each other. I could see how feelings would develop."

"Yes…" Beth's voice trailed off, still feeling a little embarrassed but also relieved. Deanna was the first person to figure out her feelings for the redneck, at least that's what she thought. "Please don't tell anyone. I don't know if they would be as understanding as you."

Deanna waved her hand in front of her. "Oh, of course I wouldn't, it's not my business. Does Daryl feel the same way for you?"

Beth smiled slightly, remembering last night. "I believe so," her tone was giddy with excitement.

"Well, then it shouldn't matter what others think. You do what makes you happy," Deanna smiled cheerfully, pleased that she could voice her opinion on the subject. "Now, as far as going on runs, that's really up to Aaron. He prefers a small group of two so it's less intimidating to other survivors. However, I could put in a good word for you," she winked slyly at the blonde. "As far as needing more gardeners go, you don't need to worry about that. We'll manage."

Beth's smile turned into a grin, grateful for the older woman's thoughtfulness. "Thank you."

Deanna opened her mouth to reply, but she barely got a word out when they heard the engine of a van driving past the house towards the garage where they kept all the supplies. It was Glenn's group. Deanna and Beth stood up abruptly, looked at each other once, and then rushed out the door. Both of them knew what the other was thinking without having to say a word as they raced to the vehicle which was now parked beside the garage. Aiden hopped out of the driver's door, giving Deanna an instant feeling of relief. Maggie met up beside Beth who both stood impatiently behind the van as the back doors swung open. Everyone climbed out, including Glenn who was sitting in the passenger seat. Maggie gripped him into a tight hug and kissed him on the lips. Everyone seemed to be accounted for, except for one.

"Where's Nicholas?" Deanna asked, though she already feared the answer.

Glenn cleared his throat. "He was—"

"He was ambushed by biters. He didn't make it," Aiden interrupted rudely. "We got what we wanted though. Alexandria won't be running out of power any time soon."

"I'll start installing them parts and get the solar grid back up and runnin' like usual," Eugene blurted out, attempting not to think back on the horrors he faced on their trip which ultimately led to Nicholas' death.

It wasn't until Beth, Maggie, Noah and Glenn reached the house thirty minutes later that the two sisters started prodding for answers about what happened. Glenn was adamant that he didn't want to start explaining the grisly details until they got inside. The blonde figured that there was something that Aiden did not mention previously. Beth and Maggie both stood quietly in curiosity as they listened.

Glenn proceeded to explain that Aiden had deserted Nicholas who was trapped underneath a large, heavy shelf that had fallen on top of him, ultimately crushing his leg. There was a herd of walkers shuffling closer, but he and Noah figured if the four of them worked together, they'd have enough time to help him before they escaped. However, Aiden negated the idea, threatening that if they didn't go with him at that very moment, he'd take the van and leave them all there to fend for themselves.

"We had no choice but to go with him," Glenn explained, though the sadness and guilt was evident in his eyes. "Aiden is an asshole…among other things."

"I won't forget Nicholas' screams behind us when the walkers got to him," Noah added, collapsing exhaustively into the sofa. "They echoed through the entire building."

"That's horrible…" Beth said as her brow knitted in antipathy. Goosebumps rose onto the surface of her skin.

Maggie scoffed as she looked at her husband. "No wonder he interrupted you when you tried to explain to Deanna what happened."

Glenn nodded with a frown. "Not like we could do anything anyway. Aiden is her son, and she's the one person we can't touch. That means her family, too."

"Should we tell Rick and the others?" Noah looked at the three of them as he anxiously bounced his right knee repeatedly.

"I think we should keep it to ourselves for now," Beth said after a brief moment of thought. "Rick might do somethin' we'd all regret."

"We'll keep an eye on Aiden," Glenn agreed. "But if he pulls something else like that on any of us, something has to be done about it."

. . .

Daryl and Aaron had been out on the road for three days since they left Alexandria. They combed areas around the vicinity until they eventually reached the outskirts of Calverton, a small town 52 and a half miles away from their community. Still, they had no luck finding any survivors. The only moving bodies they saw were the dead ones. Their hollow, blank stares glowered in resentment and loneliness, their unsated hunger growled fiercely in the pits of their stomachs.

The nights were colder than they were two weeks ago, and Daryl was glad he remembered to pack his scruffy, red and brown patterned poncho. The trees were practically bare, their branches clawing effortlessly into the steel grey sky from the gentle breeze flowing through the air as the last few leaves held on desperately. Daryl saw that as an analogy to his own life and the many others who struggled to keep on living. Riding his motorcycle gave him a sense of ease, even though each walker he spotted only reminded him of the cruel reality of life as it was now. He stayed close behind Aaron who had been leading the way since they started, driving the 1998 Lincoln Town Car.

The two parked their vehicles on Bastable Mill Road and decided to travel on foot as they so often did when they reached a town. Trees and fields surrounded all sides of them, until they eventually reached an intersection that comprised of a small market and several houses. There wasn't much else around since the area was only a farming community. They figured they wouldn't find anything there, but it was worth a shot. Only a couple of walkers were spotted, so there was nothing overly intimidating nearby.

Daryl didn't share too many words with Aaron throughout the trip. The guy was way too placid for his liking. Not that it was a bad thing, but Daryl knew he was like that only because he had never experienced anything emotionally traumatizing since the walker disease started. Aaron has never slept with one eye open, afraid of any lingering threats that loomed over his head. He never even knew how it felt to have a loved one murdered or killed at the hands of another human or walker, which Aaron disclosed to the redneck yesterday. Being an only child, he never had any close family and his parents had passed away well before the world went to chaos. The only person Aaron had was his boyfriend. Daryl envied him in some ways, hating the fear of watching someone else he cared about die, and consumed by the visions of those who were already gone. And then there was Beth…

Losing her was now Daryl's greatest fear of all. He thought about her several times during the trip, usually in the evenings when he was no longer constantly moving throughout the day. He reflected back on the night before he left, and what Maggie said to him early the next morning. Daryl wanted to make things work, he truly did. However, he just couldn't trust himself and the baggage he carried. It was a hefty load weighing him down, and he didn't want to burden Beth with his problems. Daryl let the thoughts of her sink in for a brief moment, until something suddenly caught his attention.

He and Aaron were walking towards the Calverton market when Daryl spotted a single crow perched on a power line. It was cawing loudly, with a mixture of hoarse and grated coos, sounding as though it were laughing manically at them. Aaron thought nothing of it; in fact he didn't even venture a glance in its direction. However, Daryl stared the bird down, squinting his eyes in irritation and displeasure.

"You okay Daryl?" Aaron had caught on to the redneck's disturbance.

"It's that damn crow," Daryl announced annoyingly as he nodded in the direction of the bird once they reached the front of the store.

Aaron knitted his brow and let out a confused smile. "What about it?"

"It's fucking aggravating," Daryl replied with a grunt. All it reminded him of was his dream he had several nights ago, and it pissed him off.

Aaron chuckled slightly as he shrugged. "That's a crow for you," he said as he began walking away from the redneck towards the door of the market. "Come on, we should check inside and see if there's anything useful."

Daryl didn't reply. He stood in his spot, studying the crow obsessively. If it wasn't for his dream, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. Aaron placed his hands on his hips as he watched Daryl curiously. It relieved him once the redneck finally broke contact from the bird and gave the man with curly hair a side look, but that's when things got a little crazy. The crow flapped its wings as it entered in flight and began soaring down the road. Daryl snapped his attention back at the animal, and instantly bolted in its direction, following in pursuit.

"Daryl!" Aaron yelled after him, but it was no use. He sighed, deciding to go after his companion.

Daryl didn't quite understand why he opted to chase after the bird, but something in his gut told him to do it. He followed it for a good ten minutes; over train tracks, a field and eventually another road. He began to question himself, wondering why on earth he was following a dumb crow. But once Daryl reached the road, the bird flew off into a tree and a sudden, blood curling scream emitted from the direction of a storage facility across the street. Both Daryl and Aaron stopped in their tracks, giving each other a horrifying look of apprehension.


	13. Outsider

**A/N:** Hey guys! My sincerest apology for how long it took me to post this chapter! I had a small case of writers block, but that was only because I missed writing about Beth and Daryl! I hate having them separated. Anyways, I plan from now on to post one or two chapters a week (depending on my mood as I don't like to write when I'm feeling lazy or tired). As always, thank you all who are reviewing and following my story. Much love!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Outsider

The startling scream wasn't something neither Daryl nor Aaron hoped to expect. By the shrill sound of the high-pitch cry, it unmistakably came from an adult female. Their first instinct was to bolt behind some hedging to hide from view in case there was any danger. Daryl wondered if the crow led them there on purpose. He shook his head at the notion, realizing that it had to of been just happenstance. The redneck took a quick glance down the driveway towards the facility, but there was no one around. He felt his heart racing with adrenaline and fear, wondering where exactly the scream came from. There were many elongated buildings containing countless of storage units in each one, and Daryl figured the terrifying sound had to of come from one of them.

In amidst of it all, a walker snarled as it ambled towards them, making it half way across the street when Daryl spun around and shot it down with his crossbow. When he looked back at Aaron, his companion's brow knitted with concern, uncertain about what they should do or if he even wanted to find out. However, Daryl had other ideas. He wasn't going to leave without satisfying his curiosity first. Then, the same female scream cried out again, only this time she yelled " _help!_ " causing Daryl to dart another glance around the shrubbery. He scanned the area again for signs of people lurking nearby, yet still nothing could be seen.

Without saying a word to Aaron, he waited no longer as he ran swiftly towards the chain-link fence just as rain began to dribble out of the clouds. There were dead corpses scattered around the entrance by the gate, the blood still wet and murky, making it obvious that they were slain not too long ago. Daryl looked behind him momentarily to see that Aaron had stayed close behind him. They nodded at each other before heading inside past the fence.

With their weapons drawn, they searched the storage units as Daryl kept his eyes ahead while Aaron continued to stay behind him to watch his back. Most of the doors had remained closed, the remainder were left open from people who had previously broken in and rummaged through them, leaving the units in disarray. Daryl aimed his crossbow around every corner, anticipating there would be someone waiting to jump out at them. But then, just as they reached the corner of the fourth building, his feet halted and his body stiffened in silence. He distinctly heard a male's voice, then another, and another. They were talking among each other; their tones were seemingly unafraid, at least from what Daryl could tell. Amid their indistinct conversation, faint mutters and sobs of a female were heard, and the redneck's ears perked up.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Aaron whispered with trepidation as he, too, heard the condescending voices. "They're dangerous."

Daryl hesitated for a moment as his stomach knotted when he thought about never seeing Beth again if something were to happen to him. He shook his head, comprehending that this is what he and Aaron set out to do in the first place. Daryl looked at him, his damp hair from the rain covered parts of his vision. "What if it was you instead of her?"

Aaron nodded as he made a quick scan around the area before his eyes landed back on the redneck. "Good point. So how are we going to do this?"

"I heard only three sets of voices. We shoot the ones who're holdin' weapons and we do it quickly before they have a chance to fire back," Daryl explained quietly, holding no emotion as he did. "I'll move around the back of the buildin' and meet you on the other side. That way we'll surprise em on both sides."

Aaron knitted his brow and squinted his eyes in uneasiness. He felt himself becoming nauseous as each second passed. "These kinds of confrontations are what Eric and I have been avoiding. How do you even know they will be holding weapons?"

Daryl shrugged. "They jus' will be."

Aaron took a deep breath and then held it in for a moment before blowing out the air through his mouth. "Okay, I can do this. I'm ready."

"Good, cause the last thing I need is you shittin' in yer pants and we both die. Wait here. Give me a minute to make it around the buildin' to our rendezvous point." Without another word, Daryl twisted around and turned the corner while pulling out his handgun. His crossbow would be too slow for what they were about to do.

Aaron hugged the wall as he did what the redneck asked, watching him disappear past the bend. He felt his heart beating rapidly from the nerves that shook his body, filled with anxiety and dread. He counted exactly 60 seconds before he took a prompt glimpse around the front of the building, hoping to see Daryl across the way. Aaron sighed with relief when he saw his companion, and the redneck began to slowly move forward. The man with curly hair took that as his cue to do the same.

Daryl knew he was being hard on Aaron, but he believed that it was time that he learned first-hand what it was like dealing with other human beings who lost their humanity long ago. This was the way the world was now, and it seemed like everyone who was from Alexandria was living in a fantasy land—planning parties and hosting dinners when there were people getting slain and dying of hunger, barely clutching on to life. Daryl hoped that Beth wouldn't succumb to Alexandria's way of life; he hoped she would stay strong and not revert back to the way she used to be.

As Daryl and Aaron moved closer to the storage unit, the voices were finally becoming more distinct. When they reached the door, they held their position momentarily as they listened. "So what are we going to do with this bitch?" A man with a high pitched, raspy voice asked.

"Whadda ya think we're gonna do?" Another, much deeper voice spoke. His southern accent was strong. "Fuck you're stupid, but it's alright. You're new to the group so I'll let it slide. We're bringin' her back to camp with the others, then he'll decide if she's worthy or not."

"Can we go now? I'm getting tired of seeing her husband's mutilated body, it's beginning to gross me out," the third man said with obvious disgust as the woman wept quietly in despair.

"You always had a weak stomach—ever since I met ya. It's time you grew some balls for once," the second man replied, who seemed to have higher superiority in the group. "We'll go once we pack up the rest of this shit."

Daryl had heard enough to know what kind of people they were. He was done eavesdropping. Giving Aaron a firm stare, they looked at each other briefly in a moment of resolve concerning their next, more unpleasant task. Daryl lifted three fingers from his left hand and began counting down, with his right still holding his weapon. Aaron's heart raced even faster than before as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. His nerves made his hands shake and sweat, so he gripped his gun a little tighter.

It seemed to take forever and yet it all came too quickly when Daryl's last finger dropped. After that moment, everything became chaotic. The two of them instantly—like they had been practicing it for years—spun around the corner and pointed their guns inside the storage unit. Without holding back, Daryl shot two of the three men—a tall, skinny white man and a large, much darker skinned man as well. This prompted the woman inside to scream. Aaron shot the third, an Asian with dyed red hair. The bullet pierced the man's shoulder causing him to fall to the floor, groaning in pain. The first one Daryl shot went down immediately, but the second one was still standing after taking a bullet to the back. He spun around, yelling at the attackers and blindly shooting his gun at Daryl.

The moment the bullet blasted out of its barrel, Aaron snapped a look at the large man in alert and pointed his gun at the man's head, not hesitating when he pulled the trigger on him. His aim was true, his bullet sunk deep into the man's skull causing a splatter of blood against the wall and floor. When his body dropped limply on the ground, Aaron ran to Daryl's side. The redneck had taken an unpleasant gunshot in his left bicep, and his hand was already pressured on the wound.

"Prick," Daryl said angrily as he spat towards the man's body.

"Are you alright?" Aaron asked with immense concern as he studied the area on his arm. "Looks like it didn't go all the way through."

"I'll be fine, check on the woman," Daryl replied sharply as he nodded in the direction of her location.

They had nearly forgotten about the other man still alive on the ground that was shot in the shoulder, and the woman who they went there to save. He was still on the floor, clutching his shoulder as he moaned in agony. It was too dark inside to visibly see the woman's features, but she slowly walked into the light, revealing who she was, and Aaron's eyes widened in astonishment. Daryl, too, knitted his brow, recognizing the woman instantly.

"H-Hannah?" Aaron stuttered. His mind retraced back to when one of the men said ' _her husband's mutilated body_.'

"Aaron…" she replied, her voice was hoarse as she choked back a sob. Her body was bruised and battered. "I'm so relieved you're here—both of you."

Daryl caught Hannah giving him a shaky look of gratitude, and he nodded in response. He then averted his eyes and began scanning the room until he eventually spotted something horrifying in the far corner of the unit. It was difficult to see in the shadows, but when he inched a little closer away from the glare of the light, he saw Greg's body…or at least what was left of it. It was cut in two; his intestines were jumbled into a maze on the floor. His right arm was torn off and his face was cut up, making his facial features barely recognizable. Blood was everywhere, and the stench of metal filled his nostrils. Daryl quickly covered his nose in the crevice of his right forearm and bicep as he slowly backed away beside Aaron. The pain in his other arm was nearly forgotten about when previously it felt like a burning hot knife plunging deep into his muscle. He quickly snatched up the weapons that once belonged to the three men and placed them inside his pack.

"I…I'm so very sorry about Greg…" Aaron muttered as his stomach trembled, finding it strenuous to hold back the nausea. He didn't know what else to say, in fact there was nothing he could say that would make her feel any better about what happened.

Hannah's eyes once again flooded with tears as she fumbled over into Aaron's arms and began to cry. It was clear to see that she was ready to collapse in exhaustion. Daryl was also beginning to feel weak from the loss of blood coming from the bullet wound in his bicep. It was a very different pain compared to when Andrea grazed him in the head when she shot him with her rifle back at the Green's family farm. Beth crossed his mind, wondering how she would react once she saw him.

"We should get goin,'" Daryl spoke out as the sobs grew quieter.

"What about _him_?" Aaron pointed to the man with the deep red hair who quivered on the floor.

Daryl shrugged as he removed his crossbow off his shoulder. "We finish him off."

"Wait!" Hannah shrieked as she darted to Daryl's side. "I think he knows where my daughter is. I think—I think their group took my poor Emma and the others..."

Daryl stood in contemplation for a moment before deciding to speak. "Alright, let's get him up and take him with us. We'll get answers," he replied as he walked somberly over to the man before looking at Aaron. "Keep a gun on him."

"And what about Greg?" Hannah asked suddenly while Aaron did what he was told. "We can't just leave him here."

Daryl paused as he remained hovered over the stranger. His eyes darted between the two of them, hoping that Aaron wouldn't give her any false promises as he knew they wouldn't be able to take her husband's body with them in the condition that it was in. Not that it mattered, it would be impossible for Daryl to assist in carrying Greg's body with a bullet in his arm.

Aaron regarded Hannah with a dejected expression. It was the kind of look Daryl had never seen from him before. "Hannah…we can't bring him, but I promise you we'll come back for him." She began to tear up once again, but she seemed to understand how problematic the situation was as she sluggishly nodded in agreement.

"Hey, asshole!" Daryl shouted annoyingly as he back handed the man's face. "Time to get up."

The man groaned as he groggily looked over at his bullet wound, and then up at Daryl. "Why don't you just kill m-me?"

The redneck recognized his voice being the third man in the trio's previous conversation. "Nah, not yet. Maybe if you cooperate you'll get out lucky," he lied, not wanting the man to believe he was going to die. If they wanted answers, they were going to have to give him some hope. "C'mon, up on yer feet." Daryl stepped away and wielded his crossbow once again as he waited for him to get up.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked as he stood awkwardly, but became immediately annoyed when no one answered.

"You don't get to ask questions—I do. What's yer name?" Daryl inquired, but the man didn't respond. "Are you deaf? Don't make me ask again."

The man sighed as he noticed the crossbow rise in the redneck's hands. When he replied, the tone in his voice was far from impressed. "It's Ian."

"Alright _Ian_ ," Daryl emphasized the man's name mockingly. "You now listen to me, which means you do whatever the hell I tell you to do. If I tell you to eat dog shit, you eat it. Sound reasonable?"

The man knitted his brow in disgust and horror, but swallowed his pride as he decided to nod his head in agreement. Anything sounded better than death.

Daryl smirked. "Good. Let's go."

The four of them left the storage facility quietly, each of them busy inside their own thoughts. Hannah couldn't get the image of her husband out of her head, knowing that it would haunt her for the rest of her life. Aaron would mourn the loss of Greg later in his own time. For now, he was strewed with concerns about taking Ian to Alexandria. He didn't see anything good coming out of it—just more stress among the community. However, if what Hannah said was true, then her daughter and the other Alexandrians would need to be rescued and that was a top priority.

Daryl, on the other hand, was growing weary from the walk back to the vehicles despite having used Aaron's extra shirt from his pack to keep the constant pressure on his wound. He realized that he wasn't in the best condition to drive his motorcycle back to Alexandria. When they arrived onto Bastable Mill Road, Aaron placed the bike down in some bushes, hiding it from view in case anyone happened to journey past. Daryl would come back for it later once they made the trip back to retrieve Greg's body.

Before entering the Town Car, the redneck pulled out a black bandana from his pants pocket and draped it over Ian's eyes. It was a safety precaution in case he ever happened to escape and later come back with the rest of his group. Not that it really mattered, as he figured Ian would hear the name "Alexandria" sooner or later, making their location a dead giveaway. He hoped no one would be stupid enough to disclose that information in front of him.

Once everyone was inside the car (Daryl watched over Ian in the back seat) and Aaron began the drive home, Daryl briefly thought about Beth, unable to control the sudden fluttering feeling in his chest when her image popped into his head. He had to admit he was a little nervous about the fact that he'd be seeing her very soon.

. . .

Everything was quiet in Alexandria for the past few days. Within that time, a few others from Rick's group were given jobs, including Abraham who now worked as a part of Tobin's construction team to help expand the wall, and Sasha and Bob were now taking shifts at keeping watch on the tower by the gate with Spencer. Carol on the other hand, kept herself busy by making cookies and other baked goods, and then distributed them around the community. That seemed to be her main focus, just keeping people happy with treats. Beth knew it was just an act to let people believe she was innocent and meek, and she certainly fooled Deanna. Though the blonde figured it was rather pointless, it didn't hurt to be cautious if that's what Carol wanted to do.

No one from the community seemed suspicious in Beth's eyes, no one except for Aiden. Even then, he was probably just a careless asshole, not some rampaging murderer who was thirsty for blood. Either way, Glenn and Noah kept a close watch on him whenever they could. Because of that, the two of them seemed to bond relatively well. Beth was happy for Noah in that regard, pleased that he was becoming more comfortable with where he was now.

It was just past 5 o'clock when Beth climbed the latter up into the watch tower. The sun had already set as the night descended upon the sky. She did this every few hours, hoping to hear Daryl's motorcycle in the far distance, echoing through the cold air. Though Bob and Spencer accepted it at face value, Sasha was much more interested about the blonde's incentive behind it.

"At this rate you'll be the first to know whether you're up here waiting or you're not," Sasha chuckled once Beth stood beside her. "Besides me of course."

The blonde lifted one brow as she confusingly studied Sasha who looked back at her with childish amusement. "Oh?"

"You know I'll be racing to the house just to tell you the news that he's back," Sasha clarified cheekily as she fiddled with her hair bun and then glanced back at the road. "You're certainly not here just to keep me company."

Beth felt a sudden flush of embarrassment, but quickly shook it off as she replied with casual interest. "I just like to keep watch."

Sasha replied with a sentence broken with her laughter. "Uh huh. Whatever helps you sleep at night, and it's not keeping watch, that's for sure."

Beth felt Sasha playfully nudge her with her elbow, and the blonde couldn't hold back a smile. She was so concerned over Daryl's safe return that she hadn't noticed how obvious it looked to those on the outside. Beth placed her forearms on the ledge as she drew out a sigh within the silence that now settled between them. Several minutes later, their attention fell onto a lone, male walker that must have heard the sounds of their voices as it limped towards the wall. Sasha promptly cocked her Colt M4 that had a suppressor, not wavering as she shot the walker point blank in the head.

"We'll get it cleaned up in the morning," Sasha said after its body generated a loud thump when it hit the ground. Only silence came from Beth as she continued to stare down the road. Sasha sighed and gently patted her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll be O.K."

Beth could only let out a weak smile in return, but then her ears perked up as she heard the faint sound of a car engine rumbling in the distance. Sasha abruptly lifted up her rifle and peered through the scope. It wasn't too dark that she couldn't make out the color of the car when it appeared past the treeline.

"It's them!" Sasha grinned happily and Beth instantly began descending the latter in excitement. However, as the blonde moved to the gate, she realized she did not hear the engine of Daryl's motorcycle, and she immediately assumed the worst.

Beth yanked open the gate after unlocking it with the key that Sasha had tossed to her. She stood on the side of the road, watching the headlights increase rapidly in size as it approached. The car sped through the entrance, leaving only a gust of wind in its wake. It didn't stop as it made its way up the road and disappeared from view. Beth frowned as anxiety swelled throughout her entire body, knowing that the speed of the car was an obvious sign there was an emergency.

She didn't hesitate as she quickly pulled the gate shut and locked it before racing down the road, leaving Sasha alone with growing uneasiness. Beth trailed the car, passing a few others who called out to her, inquiring information about what was going on. She didn't know. All she discerned was that something terrible had happened. Panic smothered all other emotions when Beth spotted the car parked in front of the infirmary and heard people yelling chaotically at each other.

"Aaron!" Beth yelled at the man with curly hair who stood at the entrance talking to Rick, Deanna and Michonne.

Aaron glanced startlingly at the blonde as Deanna prodded questions at him. It all seemed too bewildering when she, Michonne and Rick wanted to know more about someone named Ian, and what exactly happened to Hannah. Beth instantly recognized the name, and although she was curious to find out what they were all frantically talking about, her main priority was finding out if Daryl was O.K. She happened to catch sight of Hannah leaving the location with Reg and Jessie.

Beth glimpsed inside the car to see that there was no one inside, but when Aaron finally had a breather, she rushed beside him, her eyes strewn with worry. "Aaron, is Daryl alright? Where is he?!"

"He's fine, Beth," Aaron replied soothingly. "Daryl's inside the infirmary."

"Did he get hurt?" The blonde asked warily, afraid to learn the answer.

Aaron sighed as he caught a glimpse of Rick and Michonne talking to Deanna. She did not seem pleased. "He got shot in the arm. The wound isn't too serious and Pete is fixing him up as we speak." Without another word, Beth attempted to dash inside, but she was quickly blocked by the brunette. "I'm sorry, but you can't go in there right now."

Beth looked at him sternly as impatience fumed inside her. "Why not?" Although she was told he would be fine, she wanted to see it for herself.

"Because there's an outsider in there," Rick answered just as Aaron opened his mouth to speak. "It's not safe." Michonne had followed him to his side.

"I don't understand," Beth's voice was solid now; her face was sharp as her eyes darted between Rick and Aaron. "If he's dangerous, then why is he in the infirmary and not locked up?"

"He took a gunshot to the shoulder," Aaron explained as he remained calm. "He's getting patched up and then he'll be brought to the house with the unfinished basement down the street. Don't worry, Aiden is watching over him."

"We're gonna need some answers from him," Rick said roughly. "Ian's group may have Hannah's daughter and a few others from the community. Deanna might not like him here but we have no choice. Fer now, keep it to yourself about Ian. Don't want to cause a disturbance and panic if we can avoid it," he added strictly before twisting around and disappearing inside the infirmary without another word.

Rain began to drizzle on top of their heads just as Eric ran over to Aaron and grabbed him in a tight embrace. The duo walked over to the sidewalk to discuss the events that just transpired while Michonne remained stationary at the door. Beth guessed that she stood there in case Ian tried to flee the building.

"When can I see him?" Beth questioned more calmly than before.

"Pete and Denise are taking care of Daryl first. I'm sure he'll be discharged after that," Michonne explained as she slid her hand over the dampness of her locks. She caught Beth shivering for a brief moment, and she frowned. "You should go home. I'll let him know where you are and that you were lookin' for him."

The blonde nodded slowly, finally accepting the fact that she would have to wait a little bit longer. "Okay, thank you."

Beth wasn't actually shivering from the cold, her nerves were shot. As she made her way back to the house with her hands digging deep inside the pockets of her hooded sweatshirt, she wondered what happened to Greg, realizing he was not escorted with Hannah. Her stomach twisted at the thought, figuring that Ian's group may have executed him in cold blood. By the time she reached the house, the darkness had now completely blanketed the landscape.

She opened the door to the rest of her family enjoying quality time with each other in the living room playing cards and backgammon in an attempt at normalcy, evidently oblivious to the arrival of Daryl, Aaron, Hannah and the stranger named Ian. Beth decided to socialize with them until the redneck returned, and chose to keep the information she knew about Ian to herself as was instructed by Rick. Sometime later, Bob had left to switch shifts with Sasha, making it about an hour or so more before the front door had opened again. Beth immediately stood onto her feet and walked quickly inside the foyer, hoping to see Daryl at the entrance. Sure enough, she was not disappointed.

The redneck slouched exhaustively at the doorway, his hair was soaking wet from the rain, and bandages wrapped snugly around his left bicep. Beth's mouth had capsized into a frown at the sight of him, and she instantly pulled him into a gentle hug. Daryl reeked strongly of wet dog and BO, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. She was just thrilled that he was alive and safe.

"I smell," Daryl admitted. His voice grated roughly in her ear.

"I don't care," she whispered.

He didn't respond, only looked up to catch Maggie watching them curiously from the living room. She nodded a suspicious hello, and Daryl sighed as he carefully pulled away from the blonde. At that moment, everyone seemed to bombard the foyer, welcoming him home. Beth stepped aside as Carol squeezed in to hug him, and others like Abraham, Glenn and Tyreese patted him on the back or shoulder. When they all finally dispersed, Daryl caught eyes with the blonde who was still standing several feet away from him.

"C'mon, there's been somethin' on my mind that I should talk to you about," the redneck whispered as he turned and opened the front door, walking onto the porch.

Beth followed him with curious interest, but his body language spoke volumes and she had an awful feeling that whatever his reason was for bringing her outside, it wasn't going to be good.


	14. Secrets

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Glad to see that a lot of you enjoyed last chapter! Also, I wanted to mention that I had no intention on making Maggie a bitch, but rather just a very overprotected sister. I guess she just turned out that way, but I suppose it doesn't hurt! Also, someone had previously asked if I was going to avoid the Pete/Jessie/Rick fiasco and to answer that question, yes, I will be avoiding it. I have enough drama between Daryl, Maggie and Beth to deal with! :P Plus, it's handy having a doctor. Anyways, here's chapter 14! Much love.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Secrets

Beth couldn't recall a time when Daryl looked so somber, and she knew he was in some sort of troubled state of mind. She despised seeing him like that. It made her uncomfortable, not knowing what to expect as he carefully leaned against the wooden railing. The rain pounded heavily on the porch roof, sounding like a fast paced waterfall crashing against the rocks beneath. Beth furrowed her brow as she stared at the angel wings on Daryl's back, the faded white had seen better days…just like everything else in this ugly, infected world.

She unhurriedly sauntered over beside Daryl and rested her left elbow on the rail while facing the man beside her. He retained his eyes on the street as he held his tongue in silence, and the questions that were once idle musings in Beth's mind had begun to feel strangely urgent. She noticed him biting his bottom lip and it had oddly calmed her. Despite his lack of words, the blonde knew his head was scattered with thoughts on whatever it was he wanted to tell her.

Finally, Daryl turned to look at her and his eyes searched her face. "Yer starin' again."

"And you're worryin' me. What's wrong?" She ignored his futile banter as she gently lifted her hand and used her index and middle fingers to carefully brush away the damp strands of his bangs out of his face. The tone in her voice was a little higher since she had to speak over the rain.

Daryl instantly shut his eyes briefly as he felt the tenderness of her touch over his brow. He was fighting every part of his being to answer her one, complicated question. When he opened them again, he immediately spotted the frown beginning to form on Beth's mouth as she suddenly became more aware about what was going on inside his head.

"Is this the ' _it's not you, it's me,_ ' scenario all over again?" She sighed, hoping he would shake his head at the notion, but he remained still.

"What we did the night before I left with Aaron…" Daryl began and Beth's eyes widened. "I'm not sure if that's me—"

"Daryl…" Beth faltered, but her expressions were steely. "There's somethin' I need to say to you, so I'm just gunna come out and say it. I'll admit that back at the farm and even in the prison, you were just the redneck named Daryl—Rick's right hand man who worked hard at protectin' our group. But…" the blonde's voice trailed off as she caught Daryl's stare and her cheeks burned. "But somethin' changed after that. When it was jus' you and me for those couple of months, I got to know the real you. We dealt with each other's stubbornness; we confessed our inner fears…we got closer. We made each other stronger. And I…" Beth paused for a moment as her heart leaped out of her chest and she breathed deeply. "And I started fallin' for you."

The rain began to thin out into lighter droplets as Daryl remained speechless from the blonde's confession. Once again, he felt like running from the panic of exposing himself, and that was precisely what he wanted to talk to Beth about. As much as he cared about her, as much as he started to feel strongly for her, he just didn't know how to approach it. He was never loved by anyone—ever. Because of those long felt inadequacies, he believed he was worthless…and eventually Beth would see that and reject him.

Daryl sighed as he thought of words to say, though his tone was dejected as he spoke. "I don't have anythin' t' offer you. I don't think I could be the man you want me to be."

Beth shook her head as she frowned, and water began to form in her eyes at his negative impressions of himself. "I don't want you to be anyone but the person you've always been."

"That's what I'm worried about," Daryl retorted abruptly, though his body warmed from her sentiment. "The person I am…I would only cause you stress."

"You don't know that…" Beth said quieter than either of them expected. She felt the sadness expanding inside her. "I want to try."

The pleading in her tone made his body shiver with guilt and apprehension. Beth had no idea about the things he wanted—about how much he cared for her. He would sacrifice anything, even if it meant losing her just so he wouldn't cause her heartache in the future. Daryl thought about the things that could transpire, how she would open up to him in the perfect moments and he would remain quiet and unintentionally ignorant. Beth would take his silence as a sign that he was uncaring for her feelings, and his less affectionate side would break her.

"I'm sorry, Beth…" the softness in Daryl's voice matched hers. "…I can't."

He noticed the glistening tears beginning to form in her eyes and they quickly rolled down her cheeks. On instinct, Daryl reached to wipe them away but she backed off. Beth's sudden actions stunned him, and he instantly wanted to take everything back…but he couldn't. The damage had been done, she left back inside and he stood there…alone. Daryl closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, constantly repeating to himself that he did what had to be done. And then the door opened and his heart leaped.

Turning around, it was Carol looking at him solemnly. "Daryl…is everything okay? I noticed Beth run up the stairs in silent tears."

He looked at his friend, but he didn't reply. Daryl felt his eyes sting when she said those words, but he quickly regained his composure. Without giving an explanation to Carol, he left the porch and decided to take a walk in the gloomy, dark streets faintly lit by the bulbs on the lampposts. Daryl counted them as he passed each one, hoping it would get his mind off of Beth. Eventually he caught sight of Rick, and decided to join him in his quandaries with Ian.

. . .

Beth didn't take the next two days as well as she liked. She kept to herself in her room, only coming out to eat and use the bathroom. Carl attempted to invite her to join him and Enid out past the wall to read a few comic books the day before, but his offer was in vain when Beth unhesitatingly declined. She felt empty inside despite knowing that she couldn't let what happened with Daryl drag her down. Beth heard the news through Maggie that Daryl, Abraham, Aaron and Glenn set out to retrieve Greg's body earlier in the day while Deanna and Reg prepared the burial, so by now they would be back at any time. She wondered if his arm was even healed up enough for him to drive his motorcycle back to Alexandria.

"Ian still won't tell us anythin'," Maggie sighed as she sat down beside Beth on her bed. "We're runnin' out of options."

The blonde only shrugged in return as she looked out the window. The sun was out for the first time in the past few days, but the weather was only getting colder. Maggie studied Beth with a discerned look, figuring that something must have happened between her and Daryl. Though her sister wouldn't admit it to her, it was blatantly obvious. Beth's sadness was now Maggie's responsibility, and as much as she felt the guilt, she still believed it was all for the best.

The brunette sighed as she placed her hand on Beth's shoulder. "Whatever is wrong, everythin' will turn out as it should."

"Thank you," Beth replied, though her smile was weak and frigid. "Will the funeral be held today?"

"As soon as they get back," Maggie nodded with certainty, taking the hint that her sister wanted to change the subject.

Beth stood up on her feet as she headed towards her closet to look for something black to wear. "Alright, I'll get ready for it then."

The brunette took that as her cue to leave, and the moment Beth found herself once again alone, her thoughts immediately raced back to Daryl and the water began filling her eyes, soon becoming rich with tears. She hadn't spoken to him since that evening on the porch, and whenever he happened to be around, he would make a point not to even waver a glance in her direction. It was like Beth was non-existent. She couldn't understand why he made the choice to ignore her after everything they had gone through together. That was the core reason why she was so upset.

A half an hour went by before she heard the faint sound of Daryl's motorcycle resounding in the entire neighborhood. By then she had already journeyed into the living room, sitting on the beige colored sofa beneath the Ferris wheel decoration that hung on the wall behind her. Beth had calmed herself since the breakdown in her bedroom, challenging herself to think about anything but the hurt she carried. Noah kept her occupied as he attempted to crack jokes, and after several minutes of his little jests, he finally made her smile.

When they eventually did hear the arrival of Daryl and the others, the rest of Rick's group made their way towards the graveyard where everyone else would be waiting to start the memorial service. Greg's body was wrapped up securely in a large burlap sack when they brought him to his grave. Everyone stood together in a sea of black, with Hannah standing between Deanna and Aaron. Her face was red and drained, emotionally exhausted from her husband's brutal, untimely death. Beth hung her head low in sorrow, realizing that her problems were nothing compared to what Hannah was going through at that very moment.

As those from Alexandria said their last words to Greg, Beth decided to speak up since no one else from her group had opened their mouths. "I didn't know Greg," she began, and Daryl snuck a glimpse in her direction as he and the others listened closely. "I only met him once, but he seemed like a kind man. He helped my family get here, even though he was taking a chance at trustin' us. If it wasn't for Greg, we'd probably still be out there with the walkers…just tryin' to survive. So for that, I'd like to thank him—and Hannah. I hope he finds his way."

Hannah's eyes swelled with tears as others from Beth's group expressed their appreciation as well, and a small smile appeared on her lips after she heard the words spoken from the blonde. When they caught each other's eyes, Hannah nodded at Beth, acknowledging her kindness. It was a caring gesture, one she would not forget. At the end of the service, Beth left quietly back towards the house, but was promptly chased down by someone who she did not expect.

"Beth, wait!"

The blonde turned her head to see Aaron walk up beside her and she regarded him curiously. After studying the puffiness under his eyes, she knew straightaway that he had been crying.

He cleared his throat as he urged them to keep walking. "Those were some very nice last words spoken to Greg. It took me by surprise, but it also made me comprehend that accepting you all into this community was probably one of his last requests. I'm glad we did it."

Beth smiled heartwarmingly, knowing that she had so many things to appreciate and be thankful for. "I'm happy you all gave us a chance to prove ourselves."

Silence lingered between them for several moments as they ambled towards the house before Aaron spoke up again. "Deanna talked to me yesterday about you wanting to join Daryl and I on our recruitment runs. She seemed very adamant about it. I'd be more than happy to take you along, provided that you'd be ready to head out tomorrow. We'll be going at first light."

Beth stopped in her tracks as she thought about what Aaron said, but her first concern was about Daryl and his bullet wound. "What about Daryl's arm? Doesn't it still need time to heal?"

Aaron chuckled with broken laughter as he ran his fingers through his curly hair. "He insisted on it, in fact it was his idea. If there is anything I've learned about Daryl, it is to give in to his stubbornness. There is no fighting it, it seems. Besides, the bullet didn't pierce anything serious, so I gather it won't be too much of a strain on him."

Beth frowned suddenly as a thought entered her mind. "Does Daryl know you're asking me?"

"No, but I don't see why that would matter?" Aaron questioned her peculiarly as he studied her. There were questions in her eyes, maybe doubts, surely sadness, and she hesitated.

She wondered if that's why Daryl had insisted on going out again tomorrow. Anything to avoid her, she assumed. Beth sighed as she looked at Aaron in the eye. "It doesn't," she lied, finally answering his query. "Thank you for the offer…but I think I changed my mind, at least for the time bein'."

Aaron squinted his eyes in utter confusion. "Are you sure?" When all he got was a slow nod from the blonde, the muscles in his face relaxed and he patted her shoulder lightly. "Okay, Beth. If you ever change your mind, just let me know. The offer will still stand."

"I will, thanks," Beth forced a smile in his direction before he said his goodbye and departed back the way they came.

The blonde watched Aaron go, looking on in unhappiness, wishing that things were different. She would have been so thrilled to hear of his offer if everything was still sunny and unruffled between her and Daryl. Beth wondered why he felt he needed to avoid her, but as much as she wanted to make things better, she knew she had to give him space. Perhaps after some time he'll change his mind. She sighed and twisted around slowly, continuing her trudge to the house once again.

. . .

The next couple of days were both busy and chaotic in Alexandria after Daryl and Aaron left. Beth decided to help as an extra hand in the garden, harvesting broccoli, leaf lettuce and cauliflower to keep herself occupied. Hannah, on the other hand, was growing anxious with worry over her daughter with each passing day. Rick was ready to try beating up Ian for the information since talking nicely, intimidation and subtle threats wasn't working. However, Deanna and a few others from the community wanted no part in it. By the second day, Deanna and Rick were at odds with each other.

They fought against their own beliefs and morals, causing a commotion in the middle of the street by early afternoon. Eventually, Hannah had broken down during the fight, arguing with Deanna that she would do anything to get her daughter back. After a discussion between the three of them and Reg, they all finally decided to let Rick be in charge of what happens to Ian. Beth understood that this would be a first for him, except for what happened with Randell back at the farm. Rick had noticeably changed a lot since then, as this time he wasn't hesitant on doing what he had to in order to protect those in his group. Helping Hannah was the least he could do after she and Greg guided them to Alexandria.

By mid-afternoon, Beth brushed herself off as she stood up from her kneeling position, carrying a basket of vegetables in her arm. She had just finished harvesting her section and proceeded to make her way towards the armory where the food was also stored in the same building. Beth ultimately bumped into Olivia who began a less than interesting conversation with the blonde about how she used to work in a coffee shop before the infection started. Olivia admitted that she used to spit into the mugs of the mean customers that she would sometimes get. Beth had no interest in her aimless musings, but smiled kindly so not to be rude.

The blonde was relieved when she finally got out of there, realizing that Olivia had stolen her attention for almost a half an hour. It was something to pass the time, Beth decided. As she headed her way down the street, she came across Carl who caught up beside her.

"Hey Beth, I thought you'd be interested to know that Daryl and Aaron just got back. They found someone," Carl explained rather suddenly.

"Oh, they are?" Beth was taken aback, almost believing that he was fibbing at first, and he nodded in response. Still, her heart fluttered rapidly when she heard the redneck's name. Her first instinct told her to race towards the gate to meet him. That was until the cruel reality came crashing down, shattering her excitement just as fast as it came. Despite that, Beth was still curious about who Daryl and Aaron brought to Alexandria. "Well, that's good to hear. Who did they bring?"

Carl shrugged as he slid his hands in his jean's pockets. His sheriff's hat partly covered his eyes as his chin pointed towards the ground. "A woman named Madelyn. She didn't look too good. Been on the road for a while I guess."

"I guess…" Beth's voice lowered in thought as she bit the inside of her cheek. "Where are they now?"

"They were headin' towards the infirmary. Pete is gonna examine her for bites and her malnutrition…or something. I can't remember," Carl replied nonchalantly, seeming as though he had somewhere else to be.

"Okay, thank you for lettin' me know," Beth smiled weakly before turning around and heading towards the infirmary, parting ways with Carl.

It took her several minutes until she arrived at her destination. She spotted Glenn and Maggie just as they entered the building when she turned the corner. When Beth reached the door and peered inside, she noticed the unfamiliar face straightaway, sitting on the examination table with Daryl by her side. Madelyn was Caucasian with long, messy charcoal black hair, had high cheekbones and a soft jaw. Her face was weather-beaten, but it was hard not to mistake her beauty. Judging by her looks, she was in her late twenties and quite slim. Beth wondered if that was due to a lack of food that she was unable to scavenge. Speckles of dry blood covered parts of her thin, light grey rain jacket, indicating that she had several run-ins with walkers or some other horrible being not too long ago.

Beth noted how comforting Daryl was being towards Madelyn, and she couldn't help but feel an instant streak of jealousy. She let her imaginations get the better of her too quickly and she turned on her heels, feeling the tears beginning to form in her eyes once again. Beth despised the fact that she was a stranger and yet Daryl still treated Madelyn better than herself within the past four days. She was still letting his avoidance slowly burn away at her, and not understanding why drove her up the wall.

By the time she reached the porch of her house, tears had now begun rolling down her cheeks, letting the sadness overtake her. Once Beth's hand grasped the doorknob, a familiar voice called out her name.

"Beth?"

She froze in her spot, not wanting to turn around and expose the waterworks on her face. Beth took a deep breath, trying to gain back her composure as best she could. "What is it, Glenn?"

"You don't have to hide, you know. It's just me," he replied, obviously not fooled by her attempts at looking stronger than she was. Beth turned around slowly as he walked up the porch stairs, barely able to give him eye contact. He sighed. "What's wrong?"

Beth kept silent, debating on if she wanted to tell him everything right then and there. She needed someone to talk to; she couldn't hold it in anymore. However, she held her tongue as he narrowed his eyes in her direction.

"It's Daryl, isn't it?"

The blonde felt her heart jump to her throat as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She knitted her brow in puzzlement and shock. "How…how did you know?"

Glenn frowned suddenly as he crossed his arms. "I was afraid of that…"

Beth cocked her head, even more confused than before. Her tone had become forceful at the thought that he knew something she didn't. "Glenn, do you know somethin'?"

"Look, I'm gonna tell you something but I need you to know that she only did it because she was looking out for you," Glenn said rather hastily.

"'She?'" Beth repeated as her face began to burn. Her tears were practically gone. "What are you talkin' about?"

"Maggie…she found out about your interest in Daryl. Being the overprotected sister that she is, she…sort of meddled in things she shouldn't have," Glenn explained as calmly as he could. The words exploded out of him like an uncontrollable sneeze. "I love Maggie, but sometimes I don't agree with everything she does. I guess she finally had a talk with Daryl."

Beth's sadness had now turned to fuming anger. She tried to keep still as she listened to her brother-in-law, but deep down she felt betrayed by her own sister. "How could she do this?!"

"Please," Glenn implored. "Go easy on her. She's gonna kill me when she finds out I told you. But…you had a right to know." Honesty was a compulsion that had damned him more than once, but he just couldn't hold it in anymore.

Beth stood on the porch, feeling exasperated and deceived. For a brief moment, she tried to comprehend Maggie's reasoning behind it, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't grasp the fact that she interfered with something that could have given her and even Daryl a chance at happiness. Beth got so close to Daryl, and her sister destroyed it without a flicker of regret. And then to pretend like nothing had happened…it was despicable.

Glenn began to tense up as he felt the hot remorse burning his throat. Though he wasn't the one to mess with Beth's relationship with Daryl, he felt like a part of it was his doing because he never tried to intervene until now...after the damage had already been done. "I'm sorry…"

The blonde heard his last words as she darted past him like a heated bull charging to its target. Beth regretted leaving in such a huff, but she couldn't think straight. She wanted to tell her sister off. She wanted to tell Maggie how she ruined a perfectly good relationship that was slowly starting to form—how wrong it was to treat her like a child. Beth wasn't going to let it go, and it created a mark in their bond that would never be repaired. As she marched her way back to the infirmary, an unpleasant face suddenly blocked her path.

"Ah, there you are," Aiden said rather snidely as he regarded the blonde. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

Beth glared at him, not wanting to deal with his shit. "What do you want?"

"I overheard that you wanted to join Aaron on his recruitment runs. Unfortunately, you're just not cut out for it," he declared with a side grin. "You've been doing just fine in the garden though. I suspect that would be your safest bet. You barely look capable enough to hurt a fly, let alone a biter."

"Excuse me?" Beth couldn't believe her luck. It seemed like everything was hammering her at once, and she just couldn't take it anymore. Her emotions were dragging her down, barely even listening to the next few words that were uttered from Aiden's mouth when he replied.

Beth didn't bother with him, and at that moment she just wanted to get away. Instead of replying to the jerk, instead of having it out with her sister, she left Aiden and blindly searched for Enid. The blonde was hoping that she would show her how to climb the wall without being detected, knowing that she had done it many times before. Beth needed to let out her anger, but she had to do it outside of Alexandria. As rain began to pour on top of her clothes and hair, Beth finally caught sight of Enid by the pond with Ron—Jessie's son—and didn't hesitate as she sprinted towards her, all the while her body scorched with boldness and determination.

 **So I have once again added a new character. Madelyn will become a constant character in my story, so I am going to include an extra chapter of her back story just for the hell of it. It was originally going to be a separate story, but I decided to just scrape it and put all of my concentration on Love and Survival. If anyone is interested, I will be posting it tomorrow. Thanks!**


	15. Yours Truly

**A/N:** So this one is super short because like I said in my author's note for Chapter Fourteen, it is only a chapter on Madelyn's back story. It has a little bit of useful information so you might not want to skip it. In response to a guest review for my last chapter, you are completely right. Maggie has not been kind to Beth, and their relationship will never be the same. Also, I will let you know that this is a one time thing, I won't be writing any more chapters about Madelyn. I wrote this "Chapter" a little differently, as though you were reading her diary entries.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Yours Truly

Sometime in November, 2012

Hello there, my name is Madelyn Hale. I found this diary, along with a couple of mechanical pencils, inside of an abandoned home several months ago, contemplating on writing my every day experiences in it. When I looked into the first few pages, it had become apparent that this book once belonged to a woman named Angela Stevenson. Though she must have passed away long before now, I'm sure she wouldn't have minded me having possession of it. She seemed like a kind lady, and it is strange to think that she exists now only inside the first part of this diary.

It wasn't until now that I decided to pick up a pencil and write, right as my life is coming to a swift end. I can only hope that when it does, someone will find this diary and remember and appreciate me as I did for Angela. Perhaps that is asking for too much, but I suppose that all depends on the next person who finds it. Or maybe it'll get lost like many other personal possessions, never to be picked up by another again.

I am alone now, besides having a pistol, a spear point knife, and this diary, and I have been for a couple of days. The walkers…they ambushed me and my group where we were living—at a place called Hilltop. It wasn't just happenstance; the dead were led there by another group, a group who call themselves The Takers. The people from Hilltop…they were my family. I was the lucky one to escape, but now I wonder if I was so lucky? Walking down an empty road in the middle of nowhere covered with leaves and abandoned vehicles, surrounded by trees on all sides of me, I am secluded. Everything is quiet, but my thoughts are loud and ongoing, occupied with the knowledge that everyone who once kept me protected and safe…is gone. It's one of the saddest, most frightening situations I have ever had to overcome.

My stomach is growling. I've barely eaten since after what happened…and not due to depression. Food is scarce, and I am not a hunter. I have attempted at catching a rabbit yesterday, but it was no use. I haven't even seen another animal since then. Even if I had of caught it, I would have absolutely no idea how to skin and clean one myself. I am useless on my own. I feel I might die of starvation before I died at the hands of a walker or another person.

Speaking of which, I spotted a few walkers today, trudging senselessly to who knows where. Seeing their dreadful, deforming faces is a sight I can never get used to. Fortunately, I was able to remain undetected. If there was anything good I could say about myself in terms of survival, I would say I am light on my feet. It was a skill I used quite often before the turn. Well…that's another story. For now, I have to find some place to sleep before it gets dark. I promise I will write tomorrow. Hopefully by then I will have had a better time at finding food to calm the angry groans of my stomach. Until then, wish me luck, will you?

Yours truly, Madelyn.

Sometime in November, 2012 (The next day)

Well, here I am again. Still alive, but my hunger is still not sated. I had decided to stay the night inside the back seat of a sedan which I highly regretted, as I have been suffering from sore legs and a kink in my neck for most of the day. I'm not pleased that the weather has turned out miserable today, it's just been pouring with rain! I wouldn't have minded so much if I had the proper gear for this kind of weather, but unfortunately I had little time to prepare. I kept myself in the car all morning, hoping to wait it out, but my stomach wasn't agreeing with me. I felt nauseous with hunger, so I accepted the fact that finding something to eat was much more important than staying dry.

It was not only wet, but it was cold. By the time I found a corner store, my cloths had been soaked through and I was freezing straight to the bone! I entered the store cautiously, but thankfully there were no walkers in here. To no surprise, a lot of the shelves were empty, except for some old containers of transmission fluid, windshield cleaners, batteries and a couple of flashlights. A flashlight would have been a great idea to grab, if only the hydroxide hadn't leaked out of the batteries. When I searched further, I was able to purge a lone can of tuna, but I didn't leave any leftovers. Something I'd probably regret later.

Right now as I write this, I am still inside the corner store, sitting atop the counter beside an empty cash register. I've been inside here for what seems like a couple hours, and my clothes are still damp. I've already cried a few times just thinking about my group and the predicament I was now in. If it wasn't for this diary keeping me busy, I would be extremely bored. Writing has given me a strange sense of comfort, as if I am writing a letter to someone who I know will read it.

Shit, I think I just heard something...

(…a while later)

So the whole time I was in this corner store, there had been a walker right in the back room! It scared the shit out of me. I guess it knocked something over which is what I heard earlier. I killed it with my knife since I have little bullets left. The thing put up quite the fight, but I eventually was able to pierce it in the temple. I'm exhausted, and it's still pouring with rain. Probably for the best as I don't think I can go anywhere else today. On top of that, I can feel myself getting quite thirsty. I think I'm going to find something in here that I can put outside to collect the rain.

Also, from now on, I am going to put dates down on my entries. I don't know exactly what day it is, but at least I'll know (or anyone who reads this knows) how many days I've been writing in this diary.

November 20th, 2012

I'm still exhausted…I barely had any sleep last night. At least my clothes are now completely dry, but they smell like wet dog. I drank some rain water that had been collecting overnight, so I'm glad that my thirst has been quenched…for now. As far as the weather goes, it's cloudy out there, but it's not raining. I guess I should probably head out, though it seems pointless. I'm drowning myself into a disheartening mess, uncertain about why I keep going. My life is over. I have no one, no food, no supplies…nothing. All I have is Angela's diary.

(Later that day…)

I had decided to keep following down the road that I started on two days ago, but that plan had quickly changed…sorry, I'm a little shaky right now as I write this. I ended up reaching a herd of walkers that roamed around aimlessly in the middle of the road, so I had to go another route. I went inside the treeline, and eventually I got lost. Not like I wasn't lost to begin with as I never had a destination or knew where I was going, but now I am REALLY lost. I didn't comprehend how easy it would be to get turned around and lose my way inside of a wooded area.

I'm scared, I'm sad, I'm hungry, and I'm cold and damp. Worst of all, it feels like I'm being followed. I'm on edge as I have constantly heard twigs breaking in the distance every now and again. Perhaps I am just really paranoid, but how can I not be? I am trapped in the woods with the idea that walkers could dart out at me at any given moment. I tried back tracking, but it seems that I have a bad sense of direction. Sometimes I recognized familiar trees, but when I continued to go further I still didn't reach the road.

I've accepted my fate. If I am to die today, tomorrow, or a week from now, then so be it. No one should ever have to go through this. This might be my last entry. If so, then I guess this is goodbye.

November 21st, 2012

I think I am luckier than I thought. It turns out that I _was_ being followed yesterday, but not by anything life threatening…I hope. I met two people today, sometime in the afternoon. Their names are Aaron and Daryl. I was frightened at first…but I think I can trust them. It's evening now, and we are nestled on some chairs in front of a cozy wood fireplace inside an abandoned shack. The two men were kind enough to fill me up with some food they had and shared the water from their canteens. Aaron told me they came from a place called Alexandria, and I was more than welcome to go back with them. Of course I said yes, I had nothing to lose.

Aaron seemed very kind as he explained everything about their lifestyle, and even had Polaroid pictures of the little neighborhood. The houses they lived in where beautifully kept up, and a 15-foot-wall towers around the community to protect them from the outside world. It is all too good to be true. Aaron eventually asked me where I came from, and if I knew anyone else who would want to tag along with me. That conversation was a little too hard to bear, and I felt embarrassed as tears began to sting my eyes as I explained my story. He was more than understanding, thankfully. I didn't tell them about The Takers...at least not yet.

Daryl, on the other hand, was quieter and not as open to conversation. He is far more intimidating than his former, but his demeanor also intrigues me. And…I would be lying if I said he wasn't attractive. I caught his eyes a few times, but he averted them quickly. I don't think he trusts me as he has been studying me constantly. Not like I blame him since my feelings are mutual. I didn't want to judge him by his looks, but it was difficult not to. He definitely seems like the type that has been through the mill and back, unlike Aaron who has obviously been kept safely bubbled inside of his community since all this mess started.

By tomorrow afternoon, we will reach Alexandria, or so I'm told. I find myself more excited than worried, only because like I said before, I have nothing else to lose. I have a good feeling about all of this, and I hope that these people will one day eventually feel like family. My life no longer feels pointless. I can't wait to see what's in store for me.

Yours truly, Madelyn.


	16. Everything Changes

**A/N:** Glad to see more followers and reviews! As promised, I have posted my next chapter! Hope you all enjoy. Also, I may be a little busier as Christmas approaches, so I might not be able to post the next chapter on time. I thought I might warn you all in case you are wondering why I am late. Until then, hope you all have an amazing holiday! On another note, there might be a couple mistakes in here as I didn't do much editing with this chapter. If there are, please excuse them! I'll get them fixed soon. Much love!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Everything Changes

Enid was moderately confused when Beth asked for her help to climb over the wall. The blonde looked desperate as she stood exasperated and yet also steadfast, her eyes wild with perseverance. Enid didn't waver under Beth's persistence as she dashed towards her residence and snatched her pack that carried short, wooden rods. The pouring rain helped them move quickly, and once they reached the wall, Enid began her usual routine.

Beth paced as she waited, feeling the mud squelch and gurgle beneath her shoes with every step she took. Her mind was racing as she thought about what Aiden said, how Daryl was ignoring her, and the fact that Maggie was the reason behind it all. She recalled back at the moments during the dinner at the Monroe household and how her sister tried to set Noah up with her. Beth now understood why, and it only made her more furious. She watched as Enid carefully slid the rods perfectly through the holes in the rusted steel studs that supported the wall. It only took a minute or so before she reached the top and put in the last bar before cautiously climbing back down.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Enid asked with concern. She had asked a few minutes prior, but the blonde had refused.

"I'm sure," Beth nodded as she snugged the hood of her coat tighter around her head. "This is somethin' I have to do on my own."

"Here," Enid replied as she slid the backpack off of her shoulders. "There's some emergency food inside if you need it. Just in case."

Beth shook her head stubbornly as she proceeded towards the wall and stepped on the first rod. "Thanks, but I won't be gone for long."

The blonde scaled the wall without another word, leaving Enid in her own perplexed thoughts about the whole ordeal. Beth didn't quite understand her own actions, only that she needed to let off some steam. Once her feet touched the ground on the other side, she scanned around the perimeter with an odd sense of relief. Beth took a stride forward, and before she knew it, she began exploring the area around Alexandria. She wielded her bowing knife when she spotted a female walker standing motionless in front of her, unaware of its unexpected company.

The rain continued to teem down violently, soaking Beth's jacket and pants. The temperature in her body continued to drop, but she wasn't concerned about that. Seeing the corpse in front of her, Beth pursed her lips and began to whistle a two syllable jingle, catching its attention instantly. The walker growled as its large, spine-chilling eyes glared at her with the unsated craving for fresh meat. Beth stared right back at it, feeling unafraid as she positioned herself in defense mode, watching the corpse slowly inch its way closer towards her.

"I can do this," Beth whispered to herself, feeling the adrenaline pump inside her. "I'm not weak."

Without waiting another second, the blonde lunged at the walker, grabbing it by its neck as she struggled to aim her blade at the side of its head. The corpse sought to grasp at her arms and shoulders as its jaw snapped at her aggressively, trying to take a bite out of her face. Beth didn't wait another second as she swung the bowing knife, forcefully plunging the cold steel into its mushy brain. The commotion stirred a few other walkers that appeared out from behind several trees, initiating revenge for their fallen comrade as they growled unforgivingly at Beth.

She narrowed her eyes as she steadily counted five of them, and her confidence grew with each passing second. If Daryl could see her right now, he'd probably tell her to stop being so reckless and to get out of there before she regretted what she was doing. Thankfully he wasn't, and at that moment with the fiery rage building inside her, she felt undefeated. Beth first darted behind a tree twenty yards away as she breathed heavily, tightening the grasp of her knife. She quickly picked up a stone the size of her hand and tossed it directly across from the small herd, emanating a loud thump to their right. It caught the attention of two walkers which lazily changed direction towards the sound.

Beth waited by the tree until the first walker shuffled past her, unmindful of where she was hidden. Her heart was pumping rapidly as she jumped onto the corpse from behind and it lost its balance, falling helplessly to the ground. Another walker came in for a surprise attack and grabbed her sides, causing her to swiftly clutch its fingers and pry its grasp off of her. She spun around and gouged the walker in its jaw, carving it off in a fleshy, gory mess. Beth finished it off with another stab in its temple just as the walker that had fallen to the muddy ground got back up on its feet and tried to seize her once again. She barely dodged its attack as the third corpse appeared; its ribcage was visible with its organs and intestines hanging out of its belly.

Beth stared at it in a brief moment of disgust, but quickly came to as its deep growl awoke her concentration. She held her feet firmly to the ground as it came in for a deathly embrace, but she instantly swung her blade and sliced it across its neck. Its thick, dark blood spewed out, almost splattering on her face but she was able to spin on her heels in the nick of time. Beth felt the liquid splatter onto her coat as she dashed away, but quickly bounced back and pierced it in the brain before it had a chance to bite her arm. She was already feeling out of breath as the first walker caught up to her, its body and clothes covered in mud. Peering behind its shoulder in the distance, the other two corpses were already inching their way over, no longer fooled by the previous distraction.

"Come and get me!" Beth yelled mockingly as she walked backwards against a tree.

The first walker eyed her with blood-lust, its teeth chattering, craving the taste of her tender flesh. As its arms reached out and it fumbled forward, Beth quickly moved away from its hands, causing the walker's body to lose its balance and hit the tree. She swiftly moved behind it and stabbed it in the back of the head. The blade was pulled out just as fast as it went in, with blood gushing onto Beth's hand. She had momentarily forgotten about the other two walkers as she briefly caught her breath.

The duo both grabbed her, causing her to yell in distress. One of them tried to bury its teeth in her shoulder but lost its grasp as she pulled away. At that moment, Beth wanted to just run. Her cold, exhausted body was shutting down as she became weaker. However, she was stubborn. She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, that she was just as strong and useful as everyone else in her group.

Beth veered around for the last time, facing the two male walkers as their faces twitched with bitter irritation. Instead of waiting, she darted towards them, sidestepping around one of the walkers and piercing her blade up into the lower part of its skull. During that fleeting moment of commotion, the last corpse gripped her torso and she stumbled backwards. Her foot slipped on some mud, causing her to plummet into the wet grass. The walker had fallen down with her, its body collapsed against hers when they met the ground.

Its jaw snapped viciously as it attempted to rip her face apart with its teeth, hoping to masticate every part of her warm meat in its mouth. Beth had her left hand against its neck, putting all of her strength in forcing it away from her. She unfortunately dropped her knife as she tumbled, and it landed just barely out of arms reach. Her hand searched for it hastily as her eyes remained on the walker on top of her. When she finally felt the handle of her blade, she grasped onto it tightly just as her other arm gave in. The walker seized its moment as its mouth opened wide; its rotten teeth dove straight for her neck just as Beth took one last life altering swing with her blade. She pierced it in the temple just as its mouth was an inch away from tearing out her esophagus.

With blood and bodies all around her, it looked like a horrifying murder scene. She lay still on her back with her eyes closed after she pushed the walker off of her, taking in deep breaths as the rain hit her face. Beth's hair and clothes were wet, covered with reddish mud. She was exhausted and relieved, and she began to chuckle quietly to herself in a fit of unbelievable triumph, proud that she was able to overcome such an accomplishment. It only lasted for so long, however, as her thoughts retraced back to Maggie and what she did.

Beth had fortunately calmed down significantly, and her anger had disappeared—for now. All she was left with was the sadness and the ever-growing feeling of betrayal. After she slowly lifted herself of the ground, she began to make her trek back to Alexandria. Beth was about a 10 minute walk away, but her body was sore throughout, especially her back caused from her struggle with the walkers.

She hadn't quite realized how long she was gone for until the sun began to set in the far horizon, with Rosita standing at the gate with widened eyes after she spotted Beth. She was wearing a heavy coat to shield her from the rain and cold, which was a smart move on her end. Beth had departed with a thin, dark green rain jacket and blue jeans, but came back looking like she had fallen in a lake and then crawled through the mire to get out.

Rosita scanned her up and down with one eyebrow raised, regarding the mess on her clothes and the disarray of Beth's hair. "What happened to you?" She asked shockingly after opening the gate.

"Had a run in with some walkers, but I gottem," the blonde explained as she walked inside.

"Are you alright?" Rosita questioned bewilderingly, noticing that she wasn't carrying a gun.

Beth nodded as she used her hand to put pressure on her lower back. "Yeah, I'm just tired."

"I can see that," Rosita chuckled slightly as she shut the gate, impressed at the blonde more than anything. "You better go find Maggie; she's been looking for you. I think she might be worried."

"I will," Beth replied. The tone in her voice hardened when she thought about her sister. "Thanks for lettin' me in," she said appreciatively as she began staggering up the road.

"Don't mention it."

Although Beth craved having a hot shower followed by laying down in her warm, cozy bed and sleeping for the rest of the evening, she couldn't end the day without having a talk with her sister first. As she lazily walked up the street, she began to think of things to say in order to protect Glenn from Maggie, though she just couldn't work around it. She was relieved when the rain had finally tapered off until it eventually stopped all together.

Just before Beth reached the house, she spotted her sister pacing on the balcony with Glenn beside her, attempting to calm the brunette down as best he could. That was until he suddenly spotted Beth and outstretched his arm, pointing in her direction. The blonde was close enough to hear Glenn say ' _over there,_ ' and Beth drew out an immense sigh as she watched Maggie run towards her in a frantic haste.

"Where were you?!"The brunette asked agitatedly once she was two feet away from her sister. She placed her hands on Beth's shoulders and then on her cheeks. "I got worried when Enid finally told us you went over the wall. Are you hurt?"

"It's none of your business where I went," Beth replied angrily as she pushed her sister's questions aside and took a couple paces backwards.

Maggie hesitated for a moment, not expecting such a response. She frowned. "What?"

"You don't have any business in what I do—and while we're on the subject, its also not your business to ruin relationships with who I like," Beth explained, and she began to spew out words like a fast paced freight train. Maggie paused for a moment in utter shock, clouded by a dark, ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach when she heard the words her sister spoke. "I found out that you talked to Daryl, and whatever you told him has now caused him to avoid me!"

"H-how?" Maggie stammered, but realized that wasn't important at that moment. "Look, I only did it because I wanted the best for you—"

"You don't get to decide that!" Beth yelled hysterically. Her voice carried through the air as she interrupted her instantly. "Nothin' is wrong with Daryl, and even if there was, you're supposed to let me experience things on my own. How am I supposed to learn from my mistakes if you try n' build a bubble around me?"

"I know daddy wouldn't have liked it either," Maggie retorted, but her argument was shut down as the blonde continued to fight.

"At least daddy wouldn't have done anythin' behind my back! He woulda told me up front and given me advice. What you did was cruel and deceitful. I don't know if I can trust you again…" her words lingered in delicate silence as her sister frowned.

"Beth, please…" Maggie implored, her voice grew quiet. "You're right, I made a mistake…I'm sorry. I should've let things be."

Beth examined the ground, seeming far away at first until she shook her head sternly. "No, you don't get off that easy. The damage has been done!" The blonde had an intense feeling of wanting to slap her sister hard across the face, but she clenched her fists tightly as she held back. Violence was not going to solve anything, and Beth knew that.

Maggie wanted to make a counter, but her sister was undoubtedly right. She still held firmly to her beliefs, though she was sorry for having to hurt Beth in the way she handled it. Maggie knew straight from the beginning that she was wrong, but she feared that, even with giving Beth advice, she wouldn't have listened. She observed the blonde with a furrowed brow, eyeing the dirtiness of her clothes and skin. "What can I do to set things right between us?"

Beth shrugged sharply, knowing that there was nothing that could help mend what happened, except for perhaps time. "Yeah, jus' leave me alone."

The blonde left towards the house without another word, leaving Maggie to stand alone in the middle of the street. Beth gave Glenn an apologetic look as she passed him, and in return he gave a nod and a weak smile before stepping down the stairs towards Maggie. Beth was relieved when she finally made it up the stairs and into the bathroom. When she slithered out of her clothes, she felt like she was shedding out of her old skin. Beth studied herself in the mirror—damp and bare, though patches of crusted mud covered her arms, neck, hair and parts of her face. At that moment, she felt like she was staring at someone who was not herself; someone wild and powerful, ready to take on anything the world could throw at her.

When she stepped in the shower, she savored it like a first kiss, or someone's first sip of wine. The steaming water cascaded over her body, washing away the dirt and blood as it trickled down her skin and into the pool past her feet, until it eventually entered into the drain. Her cold, shivering body had now warmed up like drinking a fresh cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and it calmed her nerves from the previous argument she had with her sister.

After washing her body and jumping out of the tub, Beth wrapped a towel around herself and disposed her dirty clothes in the laundry room. Once in her room, she put on some clean, dry clothes and relished the familiar feeling of cleanliness. She took a glimpse at the door, imagining Daryl standing on the other side before building up the courage to knock on it…just like he did a week ago. Beth sighed, feeling girlish at the notion as she sat on her bed, beginning to think more seriously about the idea that he may never talk to her again. She wanted to cry, but this time she stopped herself. Beth was going to try and be strong from here on out.

. . .

The next day, Beth had kept her distance from everyone as she kept herself busy in the garden until early afternoon. After another dull conversation with Olivia (who she was unable to avoid) she left towards the gazebo by the pond to read. Throughout the day, she had been feeling nauseous and had started a horrible cough since she woke up. Beth decided to try reading as another pass time during moments like this, to keep her mind off of what was bothering her. However, she wasn't alone for very long when someone who she least expected walked up and greeted her.

"It's awesome to see us having nice weather for once, though it smells like snow is coming."

Beth looked up from her book after hearing an unfamiliar, melodic female voice. Seeing the black hair wave around the edges of the female's face, she realized it came from Madelyn. "Oh, yes…it is."

"Sorry for interrupting you. You're Beth, right? I'm Madelyn," she introduced herself as she placed her arm across her flat belly and held on to the fabric of her coat.

"It's fine, you just startled me is all," Beth smiled slightly as she closed her book after memorizing her page. "Yeah, the sun is refreshin'."

"I, uh…couldn't help but overhear you and the other woman arguing. Is she your sister?"

Beth frowned, feeling a little embarrassed and regretful that their argument last night happened to be in the middle of the street. "Unfortunately, yes."

Madelyn scrunched up her face. "That's shitty. I never got along with my sister…before she, well," she stopped herself as she took a few steps closer to the blonde. "Anyway, I thought I would come over and introduce myself. Besides Enid, I'm pretty sure you're the closest to my age group who doesn't have a ball sack and facial hair. Early twenties, right?"

Beth nodded slowly, unable to hold back a cough before she spoke. "Yeah," she croaked. "I just turned twenty a few months ago."

Madelyn smiled slightly. "I'm twenty-two."

Beth widened her eyes with surprise. "Really? I thought you'd be—"

"Older?" Madelyn chuckled as she brushed back her hair when the blonde nodded. "I get that a lot."

"I'm sorry…"

Madelyn shrugged as she leaned against one of the wooden pillars. "Don't be, it's totally fine. Hey, I thought that maybe we could try and be friends? I know it'll take some time, but, I feel like you may be the only one in this community that I could relate to."

Beth contemplated her offer, but came to the same conclusion as Madelyn. It wouldn't be all that bad having a friend close to her age, even though she felt instant jealousy towards her the other day. Perhaps she wasn't as threatening as she first believed. "I'd like that," she smiled, happy to have run into this unexpected acquaintance.

"Good!" Madelyn cheered excitedly, though the blonde could see the tiredness in her eyes. "Also, I thought you might be interested to know that, what's his name? Daryl? He is totally into you, so I wouldn't worry."

Beth sat up abruptly, her attention now completely taken over by their new conversation. "What?"

"Well," Madelyn began to clarify nonchalantly. "That's what you were worried about when you were arguing with your sister last night, right? I know it's not my business, but from one girl to another, you definitely don't need to be concerned about Daryl."

Beth furrowed her brow as her heart leaped out of her chest. "How? How do you know?"

Madelyn sat down beside Beth and spoke her next words in a quieter tone. "When I was with Daryl and Aaron, you know, after they took me in, I was trying to fall asleep when Aaron brought up your name. They didn't realize I was awake, but the dude told Daryl about how you wanted to join them on their recruitment runs," she stopped for a moment in thought, recalling the events from before. "Something about how you changed your mind and didn't want to do it anymore. Anyway, the way Daryl's eyes lit up—well, I could just tell. His voice softened when he told Aaron that it was probably for the best, that he just wanted you to be safe. If he is avoiding you like you said he is, it won't last long, I guarantee it."

Beth's smile turned into a grin, feeling much better than she did in the past few days, and it was all because of a stranger. "Thank you, I needed to hear that."

"Don't worry about it," Madelyn smiled back, but it quickly turned into a frown when the blonde began to start an uncontrollable cough into her arm. "Hey, are you O.K? That cough doesn't sound too good…"

"I'm fine," Beth disputed as she caught her breath. "I think I'm just catching a cold'." Before she could say another word, her coughing started again, and she pressed her hand onto her chest in unbearable pain. She could feel a coating of phlegm build up in her throat, and it made her gag in repulsion.

"Dude," Madelyn said troublingly as she noticed the paleness in Beth's face. "You should go to the infirmary; it could be something more serious than a cold."

Beth stood up on her feet, followed by Madelyn right after. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. This chest pain doesn't feel normal…"

"Let's go, I'll come with you."

The two of them eventually arrived at the infirmary and met up with Denise who instantly took Beth's chest pain as a concern. She sat her down at the examination table and asked for symptoms. Afterwards, Denise began a physical exam and used a stethoscope to listen to Beth's breathing. Almost immediately, she heard crackling sounds when the blonde inhaled, and decided to take the examination further with a chest X-ray. Once she was finished and had scanned the results, Denise's mouth curved into a frown.

"I see that your chest has an infection," she explained to Beth softly.

"So, what does that mean?" The blonde asked upsettingly, finding it difficult to breathe as her head began to burn up.

Denise turned around and walked over to Beth, giving her a stare through her spectacles. "You have pneumonia, though I don't know what type or how severe. I'll have to do a blood test so we know how to treat it, and to make sure it isn't in your blood stream. "

"Will…will I be O.K?" Beth asked cautiously as she looked to Madelyn and then back at Denise.

"I'm positive you will be. It just so happens we have the supplies here to cure the pneumonia, no matter which type it is," Denise clarified with a comforting smile. "Let's start on that blood test."

Denise began her complete blood count (CBC) test to distinguish the pneumonia between a bacterial and viral infection. Once she extracted the blood and studied the results, she was able to recognize that Beth had Streptococcus pneumonia, which was the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia. Denise explained all of this to Beth as gently as she could. "I have the antibiotics that will fight the specific bacterium causing your infection, but in the meantime I think its best that you stay in bed and rest as you are also showing signs of a fever. We also carry medication to reduce your temperature as well."

"I do feel pretty tired…" Beth admitted as she tried her hardest to hold in her cough.

"I think its best that you stay here instead of going back home until you get better, that way I can watch over you and make sure you get the best treatment possible," Denise said as she walked over to the sink and poured a glass of water. Beth nodded in agreement.

Not much time had passed when the blonde eventually fell asleep in one of the infirmary beds with a cool towel spread across her forehead. Her health was declining quite rapidly, but luckily the antibiotics would soon kick in. An hour passed this way, with two thick blankets covering her body to keep her warm, until eventually Daryl made his way to her and sat down beside her. He didn't hesitate to go to Beth when he heard the surprising news from Madelyn. Daryl wasn't quite sure why she of all people knew about it, but that question erased from his mind once he saw the blonde sleeping innocently under the blankets. He stared at the paleness of her face, yet her beauty still hadn't waned even from her sickness. Daryl stretched out his arm and softly stroked her hair, treating her like she was a pair of fragile butterfly wings.

Denise smiled warmly at his gesture when she noticed him beside her. "She'll get better, just you wait."

"Mmm," Daryl muttered under his breath, unable to part his eyes from Beth as he slowly grabbed her hand and held it gently in his.


End file.
